


Being Human

by AlanSmithee001



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:01:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 190,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26479177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlanSmithee001/pseuds/AlanSmithee001
Summary: According to Legend, Monster souls are Made out of Love and Magic.Human Souls are far more powerful, therefore they do not require these things.This is the Story of a Monster who Fell Underground and Learns what it means to be Human.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1: The Fallen Child

Undertale is the intellectual property of Toby Fox. I make no claim to his property.

§ Art Cover Provided by 3eep on Deviantart.

§ Beta Reader by Yours, The Author on FF.

§ And a Major Thank you to NikkiCross on FF.

This Story is Rated M for heavy dramatic content, mature themes, and depictions of violence.

Disclaimer to all readers, Frisk in this story will be male and will identify as male. Likewise a certain "Chara"cter will be female and will identify as female. I am saying this so there will be no surprises and so you can make your choice on whether to support my story or not. I am fully aware the preferred consensus is that these characters are gender neutral and I am erasing that with my creative choice.

You are free to not read my story for this reason or any other you find valid. All I ask in return is that you see these iterations of these characters as solely mine and mine alone. I hope you afford me the opportunity to have my story told and that my story will earn the approval to explore this creative choice to its full potential. However, I will understand if you disapprove.

In conclusion, I simply hope you enjoy my story and what it has to offer; but you do not have to read it if you do not want to.

* * *

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 1

* * *

"Mom!"

Frisk's eyes flash open as he thrusts upwards to stand upon his knees. He sucks heavy breaths, before they break into rapid gasps to feed his starving lungs. His hands swiftly travel across his body, inspecting himself for injuries. While there are none, a sharp but subtle pain stings across his body, like a hundred needles all pricking him at once. Yet that is incomparable to the anguish deep inside his chest.

"Ahh! Make it stop! Please make it stop!" His hands race to his chest to soothe the pain, but to no effect.

Like two fists are digging into him to strangle and shatter his heart into a million pieces. His heart pounds with beats so heavy and loud they deafen his ears. His heart screams for help, but with nowhere to go, begs and cries for mercy from this unknown adversity. Frisk's eyes shut tightly as his face cringes from the overwhelming pain.

"Ugh! Why is this happening?! Please make it…! Stop?" In the flash of a second the pain vanishes, almost as quickly as it appeared. His heart races and his body tingles with static as he breathes a sigh of relief. He rubs and soothes the pain as best as he can, allowing him to soften his breathing and regain his footing.

"That actually worked? What was that?! Felt like I was being crushed from the inside. Did it happen when I fell down in that cave?" As his senses return, Frisk becomes aware of his surroundings.

"Flo-Flowers?" His hands shift through a bed of sun flowers.

They have chocolate brown buds and golden yellow petals. Their soft and springy texture gives them a luscious feel that makes one want to sink into them. A sweet and pungent smell brings a smile to Frisk's face as it graces his noise. Surface light shines through an opening in the stone ceiling, encapsulating Frisk in a warm pillar of bright light.

Altogether, they create a small piece from the world above, one which stands in sheer contrast to everywhere else.

Cold.

Dark.

Damp.

Those are the only words which can describe the rest of the cavern. The light from the opening only travels so far, leaving most of the cave in an impregnable shroud of black and bleak darkness. Any exit to this cavern is a distant and unknown thing, if one exists at all. A deathly silence hangs in the air, swallowing all of Frisk's cries and gasps into the silent abyss.

Frisk squats against the ground, sliding backwards until his back hits the hard and jagged wall, where he pulls his knees against his chest. He shakes and shivers, whimpering sobs while weeping tears. Crushed, both by the enormity of the situation and a constricting feeling from within.

"No! I didn't want to fall down here! Take me back! Mom! Where are you?! Please find me?!" Frisk cries in a broken shamble, using the sleeve of his blue and purple striped sweater to wipe away his tears. He is unable to move on, as fear and fragility paralyze him to one spot.

That is until an abrupt sharp pain slaps him across his cheek. A far cry from the soul shattering pain of before, more of an instant impact and one which passes as swiftly as it occurs. While not a pleasant feeling, Frisk collects himself.

"I… I can't just stay… here. Gotta find a way out." He says with all the strength of a field mouse. "A way back to Mom." Frisk forces himself back to his feet to crawl across the flower bed. Fighting against an enormous weight of doubt and dread with every step. He stops at the edge of light and shadow at the end of the flower bed. He takes what could hardly be called a step into shadows, and cowers away in retreat.

"I… I just... can't do this… I need you…Mom."

The brightness and warmth of the light embraces Frisk. The sweet smell of the flowers fills his nose and caresses his mind. His mind travels back to a playground on a bright summer day with the smell of flowers in the air. Around him there is a pair of soft and nurturing hands to hug him. Frisk smiles as a strange, but comforting, feeling swells from his soul.

Frisk is filled with Determination.

"No. What am I thinking? I can't give up now. I've made it this far and I can't stop now. I know there's a light at the end of this tunnel and I'm going to find it!" Frisk shakes his fist in the air as he stands defiantly. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and takes a large step forward. After a moment he does it again.

And again,

And again,

And again several more times.

Frisk opens his eyes and is overcome with relief. Now deep inside the cavern, his eyes can adjust to the darkness. While there is not a large amount of space by any stretch of the definition, the area is a straight corridor and wide enough to comfortably accommodate him. Well, as comfortably as one can expect a cavern of hard stone to be.

Facing the darkness ahead, Frisk could not resist but cast his head back one last time.

The bed stands out with its bright and beautiful flowers in the distant, peacefully lying beneath a hazy light from the surface. A welcoming sight amidst this sea of dark and rock, and difficult to resist as it pulls on Frisk. While the cavern is more vivid, a dense darkness remains, masking whatever unknown waiting for him. Frisk stands between both sights until he lets out a deep sight and faces the path in front of him. The only one left for his journey.

"Well… only one way to go."

"One way to go" The cavern echoes his words back to him, turning a light bulb on in his head.

"You know you can never ever trust your shadow." Frisk whispers to avoid an echo. "Because they might be shady."

"Might be shady." Frisk smiles as his spirits lighten up.

"Oh wait! I got one more. I used to be scared of the dark, but when the lights turned on I saw something and I never turned them on ever again. The power bill!" His joke returns to him, allowing him to escape from this dark place and time with laughter.

Frisk walks down the corridor until he reaches its endpoint, lighter in body and brighter in spirit. Much to his relief, there is an exit into another section of this underground. Frisk walks through without any concern or worries. He did not notice for a single moment that this exit is not some natural opening inside a cave. But a carved and ornate gate standing in the shadows, and one not made by the hands of man.

Frisk enters a larger barren room, where he comes across an unusual sight. It is another pillar of light shining from the ceiling. At the bottom is not another bed of flowers, but a single solitary golden flower. With little to hold his attention, Frisk continues on without a second thought.

"Howdy!" The flower speaks and turns to face him.

Frisk stops dead in his tracks as a train crashes into his mind before he could process any of what just happened. This flower is literally talking to him and in an overly cheerful and jovial voice no less. Frisk could only look on in stunned silence at this sight. Despite his shocked appearance, the flower speaks as if there is nothing strange about this at all.

"I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower! Heehee. Golly, you must have taken quite a fall back there didn't ya? To wind up back here. Now don't ya feel silly for coming here?" As if to add to the absurdity, the flower winks its eye.

_This can't be real… but it is. I…I…I can't believe… But it is!_ Frisk continues to stand, his mouth hung open and eyes filling his sockets. Shocked with disbelief, he looks down at this Flowey. He could tell it's the same kind of golden flower from the bed he landed on earlier. But this flower for whatever reason is alive and can talk to him. Frisk pinches his arm, learning this is no dream.

It has a wide smiling face and two small but welcoming eyes to go along with its golden petals, green stem, and leaves. Its voice comes out clear, carrying on with the demeanor of a child with a gentle and excessively jolly voice. Despite his stunned stillness, Flowey continues this one-sided conversation.

"Well aren't you quiet. Can't you even talk to little old me?"

"I… I was told not to talk to strangers."

"Stranger! You must be new to the Underground, aren'tcha? I'm no stranger. I'm Flowey, and I can be your best friend if you want."

"I don't need any friends. I just need to find my mom."

"You lost your mommy. Ah, that's so sad! I'm looking for someone special too." Those words catch Frisk's attention.

"But aren't you a flower? How are you-?"

"Chatting to you right now? This is the Underground, my friend! A magical and wonderful place filled with LOVE, where anything can happen!"

"Underground?" Frisk says as confusion consumes him.

"Yup! It's a long and boring story, but don't bother yourself about it. This is a place where all your hopes and dreams can come true."

"But I only have one dream that I hope to find. So unless you know how to get out, I have to move on to find her." In all honesty, Frisk is trying to escape this talking flower and the creeping tingling sensation it gives him. Like a hundred worms slithering in his spine.

"Wow! She must be the greatest person ever. Well, I hope you can find her. Since I'm a flower, I'm stuck here and can't go anywhere. Trust me when I say it's not easy; not easy at all. But you can't give up, no matter what!" For a moment, Frisk forgets he is speaking with a flower and frowns.

"I'm not sure… but… maybe we can… well maybe we can find them together." He rubs the back of his head.

"Huh!? Well… this is different." It says with sudden surprise. "But really? You'd help little old me find my friend? You promise?! Will you keep your word?" The flower blossoms with excitement.

"Yeah… I promise to help and I don't know anything about this place. So I'll probably need help too." That is all Frisk can bring himself to say, off put by Flowey's existence but finding comfort in their shared pursuit.

"Don't you worry friend, little old me will take good care of you. So how about it? You help me and I help you and we both find her together." It extends a leaf like an awaiting handshake. As Frisk stands before it, invisible forces push and pull him towards the flower. A piece of him does not trust this flower at all and is determined to leave it behind in dust. But with a hesitant effort, Frisk extends his hand to reach the flower's leaf.

"Sure let's do it, now how can-."

A vine shoots out of the ground, soaring at a speed that Frisk could not react to. The vine wraps tightly around his hand. Its leafy tendrils rough as woven nautical rope with an invasive grip that entangles his arm. It slithers across his arm like a twisted green snake until it ensnares his entire limb. Its grip on him tightens until his arm becomes paralyzed with pain.

Frisk frantically shakes his arm to snap the vine apart. When that is not enough to break free, he runs away as far as he can from Flowey. He pulls on the vine as hard as he can with the weight of his entire body. Frisk convulses in agony as the vine does not relent in its assault nor does his resistance seem to register at all. In desperation, Frisk uses his free hand and mouth to tear into the vine to break it.

He fails and a cheerful laugh fills the air.

Throughout this whole ordeal, Flowey does not change its demeanor or position as Frisk struggles, looking on with a sick smile. Despite pulling the vine with all of his strength, Flowey remains unfazed and does not show a hint of concern. Like it is holding onto a feather and laughs with a gleeful and happy heckle, as this tug of war between a mouse and elephant plays out to its apparent delight.

"Why are you doing this to me?! You're going to crush my-!" Without any warning, the vine violently yanks Frisk to the ground. His face meets the hard-stone floor with a heavy slam. Despite this, its grips refuses to relent, knowing the perfect spot to inflict great and tremendous pain, but stopping short of snapping his bones like a twig. The pain is unbearable nonetheless, becoming a noose as it squeezes the life out of his arm.

The vine drags Frisk across the ground towards Flowey, his face scraping across the ground like dried up gum on the bottom of a worn-out sneaker. Frisk tries to scream for help, but the pain forces him to grit his teeth behind his shut mouth. His face becomes numb as his vision dulls. Through it all, Flowey's laugh rings through his ears as he trembles in anguish.

Its laugh is delightful, like hearing the funniest joke ever told, but with a growing sadistic cackle. "You Idiot. Did you really think that I would just forget? And do you really think that I'm going to give you that chance?!"

Another vine shoots out to latch onto Frisk's other arm. They pull into two separate directions as strong as they can. The pain is agonizing, but before Frisk can black out or the vines can tear his arms out of their sockets, they stop their assault only to resume moments later. The room fills with cries of anguish and agony as tears cascade across Frisk's cheeks. The pain Frisk felt when he fell down here may as well have been a paper cut.

Flowey continues it's sadistic efforts with an enormous smile. But now this former friendly face contorts and twists to take on a malicious form. The flower appears like some kind of evil clown, combining the joy of a welcoming smile with the wickedness of a wild beast. Frisk does the only thing he can do.

"Please stop! Please! I'll do anything you want! Just let me go!" His pleas are silenced as another vine wraps around his mouth to slam it shut. The vines take the opportunity to squeeze his head like a grape, while rough tendrils and sharp thorns add to his misery.

"Oh, I want to have so much more fun with you right now! You have no idea how much I want to hear you beg and cry before you die."

_Die?! Why do I have to die!? Why are you doing this?! What did I ever do to you?! No! I don't want to die!_ Frisk thought as he hears this horrifying declaration.

"And since you promised to help me, I'm sure that you won't mind dying for your best friend. Besides I've waited long enough for this moment. Shame you won't be there to see how it all ends. Because this time you won't be able to come back kiddo!" The vines stop their assault, much to his brief relief.

"After all in this world it's Kill or Be Killed!" The respite passes as two vines emerge to ensnare his legs. The combination of all four vines suspends him in midair. Frisk does everything he can in his struggle, but this grip of greenery is impossible to fight against. Helpless against it, Frisk can only contemplate his seemingly imminent death in silent horrific terror.

A dozen tiny white pellets materialize in the empty space above and around Flowey. The flower smiles, but any trace of its previous cheerful demeanor is gone. It's smile is a truly terrifying sight to behold with black hollow eyes and jagged oversized teeth. If looks could kill, Frisk knew that he would already be dead. "Aw… don't give me that look, kid. Here, have a friendliness pellet!"

One of the pellets flies at Frisk, charging through the air like a bullet. It hits him dead center over his heart. Despite being held by the veins, Frisk lunges back and forth from the pain. Like all the previous pain combined into a single bullet and focused onto a single point. His sweater reddens from the impact.

Then something unexpected happened.

A small red heart appears between himself and Flowey. Floating in midair and glowing with a powerful red light. The heart shines like a star within this dark cavern, emanating an aura that is impossible to ignore. Like another living breathing being suddenly entered the room. There is a powerful presence, despite looking so frail and little. Frisk is so captivated, that for a second he forgets he's about to die.

"Ah, there it is. Well, I guess I should thank ya. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to bring her back to me. And this time you won't be able to ruin her. Once I take your soul from your corpse we'll finally be together again! Just the two of us! So tell you what, kiddo! To show my gratitude, I'll make this as painful as possible for you."

Frisk shouts at the top of his lungs. The force of his voice is so great he breaks the veins choking his mouth. This does not deter Flowey; if anything it relishes the pleasure of hearing Frisk's final words. If one pellet could do that much harm to him, Frisk didn't doubt that the remaining eleven will be enough to kill him.

The eleven pellets multiply and become seemingly limitless in their number.

"Please don't kill me!" Frisk screams, Flowey does stop to laugh.

"Now that's funny, thanks for the performance and laughs! But I've had enough. So Just Die!"

The pellets soar through the air directly towards Frisk. The small red heart frantically moves and shakes around as Frisk panics.

"Mom! Save me!"

A scorching sound screams in the air as a powerful stream of fire blasts through a doorway that had been covered in thick vines. The stream of fire charges into air with tremendous force and power behind it. The fire soars above Flowey and incinerates every single pellet charging towards Frisk. The fire divides into four smaller flames, each one hones in on each of the vines keeping Frisk suspended. They destroy the vines and Frisk falls to the ground, the red heart disappears as it fades back into Frisk, all to Flowey's disappointment.

"What!? They weren't strong enough to-!" Flowey burrows itself underground, barely avoiding another blast of fire. Flowey resurfaces to find its attention torn between Frisk's recovery and this new opponent.

"You dare to harm another child? I will not allow it, you despicable creature!" An enormous wall of fire emerges to engulf the ceiling. The darkness is blasted away under scorching flashes of red and orange, the air turns hot to the touch as the temperature skyrockets. Meanwhile a cyan bubble emerges to protect Frisk, there is no way to escape this attack and Flowey knows it.

"Begone or perish!" The wall of fire cascades down in a rapid descent towards the floor. Flowey burrows itself beneath the ground and disappears. The wall of fire stops and the flames dissipate, and the strange visitor hurries towards the whimpering child. Small bursts of fire in their hands in case the first warning wasn't clear enough.

Frisk pulls his arms and legs into himself to curl into a ball of agony on the ground. The sound of his grieving echoes in the cave as he squirms across the ground. Doing everything he can to ease the pain from Flowey's attack. His arms feel almost detached from their sockets, his innards like beaten jerky, and the red stain on his sweater grows larger. His mind is bursting from the seams as it processes this brush with his fragile mortality.

A few more seconds and he would have been gone forever. The only single positive feeling is the relief from knowing Flowey's exit, one drowning amidst a sea of anguish. "Mom! Please Mommy! Help me please! I don't want to die! Please don't let me die! Mommy! Where are you?! Mom I need you!"

He can detect the presence of a figure standing over him, but the pain makes it too difficult for him to recognize them. Whatever their actions or motives, Frisk is entirely at their mercy. Through this thick cloud of pain, a pair of soft hands reaches to grasp and steady him.

"There, there my child. You need not worry any longer, that thing is gone and I am here for you." Frisk can barely make out the words through the pain, but they do reach him.

They smoothly flow into his ears; their softness and tenderness calm his nerves and soothe the pain through mere words alone. Their hands gently grab him, but not with any invasive force, merely to hold him, to offer security and relief which Frisk hungrily takes in. "I am so very sorry that I could not have been here sooner for you, my child. I promise you right now that it shall not occur again."

_Mom... Is that you?_

Through the cracks in-between his closed eyes, a faint green glow shines across him. Frisk's breath almost stops, but not as quickly as the pain magically drains away from him. What mere moments ago was the second worst feeling in his entire life; shrinks to a far more manageable level. Frisk gets back to his feet, only to remember the wound on his chest the hard way.

"Ahhh!" Frisk throws his back as the pain returns with a vengeance. His hand goes to his chest before bringing it back to reveal his hand smeared with blood. The visual sends his mind in a crashing nose dive, until another hand comes from the corner of his vision to tenderly grasp his own hand.

"Listen, I know that you must be feeling a great amount of pain. The last thing you want to do is move around too much. But if I am going to help you, then I need you to show me where it hurts the most. Please tell me, and I will make that pain go away."

Frisk is uncertain at what to do next. To place his trust into this stranger and hope they will help him? Or will he discover another Flowey waiting for him to make himself vulnerable? The pain does not help in making a coherent choice, but it does bring clarity.

Frisk takes their hand and brings it to the open wound on his chest. "Here! It hurts so much."

"Thank you my child. Now do not worry and do not strain yourself, leave it all to me." A large warm hand presses against his chest, taking care to not cause any excessive pain. Behind his closed eyes, the strange green light shines again, far brighter this time as it seeps through the cracks between his eyelids. When the light disappears, it is not the only thing that vanishes.

_What! It's all gone? How did they do that?_ Frisk inspects himself to confirm what he feels, or rather what he cannot feel. Frisk doesn't believe it; seconds ago, every muscle, nerve, and bone was screaming for help from a pain that would not relent. Now there is the faint and distant echo of that pain, as if Flowey's ferocious onslaught occurred days or weeks ago as opposed to mere moments.

"How do you feel now my child? I hope that you are better now. Please let me know and if there anything else that I can do for you—anything at all, and it shall be done." Frisk returns to his feet, his body and mind are still weary from the trauma. But compared to before, he is head, shoulder, torso, and legs above his previous state. He is still in disbelief at making a rapid recovery, although until a few minutes ago, he didn't believe in talking flowers either.

"I feel great now! It's like it didn't happen. Thank you so much! How did you...?" As Frisk faces his savior for the first time, he falls back to the floor for the third time and slides away. Unable to finish his sentence or to tear his eyes away from her.

"No! No not again! I won't be hurt again!"

She has two arms and legs like a human, but covered in white fur with two small horns poking out of her head. She wears a large purple robe that starts at her neck and stretches down to her legs, with only her fur covered feet poking out. Frisk can make out a unique and decorative seal on the robe: a series of three triangles lining the bottom with a winged circular rune hovering above the triangles. Despite all of this, this strange goat monster remains at the forefront of his mind.

"S-st-stay away from me! I-I m-mean it! I won't let you h-hurt me like Fl-Flowey did!" Frisk tries to shout to force her away. Instead his words emerge in broken stammers and loose stutters. As Frisk tries to defend himself and increase the distance, the monster approaches him with a slow speed and calm demeanor. Frisk backs away from the goat monster, refusing to leave himself at the mercy of another stranger. His hand comes across a small wooden stick and on instinct he picks it up to defend himself. She stops her approach before entering his personal space.

"Please… I understand how you must be feeling, my child. You must be thinking that I look very different from humans. You must be afraid about what I might do to you; and I do not blame you for feeling that way. Especially after what you experienced with that wretched and vile Flowey. But please, you must believe me when I say that I mean you no harm."

Frisk cannot explain it but there is a piece of him commanding him to lower the stick and to not harm her. Despite remaining defiant it is difficult to ignore. There is gentleness to the monster's voice, one that holds neither bite nor bark. So calm, reassuring, and soothing; it carries an authentically that was missing with Flowey's voice.

"How do I know that I can trust you? How do I know you're not just trying to trick me like Flowey did?"

"You don't know, and I cannot prove it to you here or now. Please, I promise you that I will not allow any harm to come to you. You just have to believe me, my child." She extends her hand out to Frisk.

"No! Just go away! I know how to take care of myself! I can do it by myself. I don't need you!"

"I am sorry child, but I must disagree. If I leave you alone- which I will not even entertain doing- then Flowey could return. Trust me when I say that neither of us desires that outcome." Frisk sighs knowing she has a point, the last thing he wants to do is face that wicked wild flower ever again.

Frisk sits at an impasse as the monster stands before him with an open invitation in her hand. The room becomes far too small for his liking as cold sweat drips down his neck. Her hot breath hangs over his head while her dark shadow drapes across the ground to surround him. He pushes his screaming instincts to the side and musters the will to ask a question.

"Who…Who are you? How did… did you do that stuff? The fire? And the green glow?" The monster gives him a gentle but bright smile.

"Oh, I am ever so rude. I never did introduce myself, I apologize my dear child. My name is Toriel and I am the caretaker of the Ruins, and if you wish it, I will care for you as well. As for the 'stuff' as you call it… Here in the Underground, we can perform magic. True magic, not any charlatan tricks you may have seen on the surface. It is simple but difficult to explain, I would rather do so under better circumstances. So please, take my hand."

_Magic is real! Monsters really exist! Did I hit my head or something? How is this happening?!_ Despite knowing he is not dreaming, Frisk could not help but stagger as these world altering and life changing revelations sink into him one at a time. Wondering how no one on the Surface knows about any of the monster, but he tables those questions for later. Far more concerned with the monster standing in front of him.

Frisk intensely stares at her hand. Despite being a goat monster, her hands are similar to his, albeit larger and covered in fur. As times passes, images flash through his mind. Most of the time she appears to be miles away and he would have to cross a boundless distance to reach her. In other moments she is inches in front of him with leafy thorns waiting to tear into him without remorse. Rarely, he sees her as she is.

Patiently awaiting his choice, she drops her hand and returns it to her side. "Very well my child. I can understand how you must be feeling right now after your fall and your unfortunate encounter with that Flowey." Her voice is sweet, but turns sharp as a dagger when she utters the creature's name.

"So how about this instead. I will guide and protect you in the Ruins, but you can travel on your own until you are more comfortable with me. I will take somewhere where you will be safe and sound. Is that alright with you?" Frisk doesn't do anything for a few moments until he nods his head in hesitant agreement.

The monster clasps her hands together as she smiles. "Splendid! Just follow me now, and please do not leave my sight. No matter what happens, you must stay with me."

She walks ahead to the exit as Frisk trails behind her. As they leave together, Frisk cannot help but notice her pace is slower than before. Frisk reduces his pace, and she meets it. Frisk walks faster, and she matches him step by step without delay. They leave the room through a stone doorway. The ground crunches as they step over scorched vines littering the ground.

_Well at least she'll keep Flowey away. I can't believe it. There are actual monsters down here! Dangerous monsters; they'll kill me if I'm not careful! I need to find the exit out of this place without her knowing. Then, I can get back to finding mom._ Frisk thought as he goes over his options and hopes he will not stay down here in the Underground for very long, while a piece of him struggles to understand what's happening.


	2. Chapter 2: The Monster in the Ruins

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 2

* * *

"Whoa." Frisk gazes at the sight before with awe and wonder in his eyes.

Deep within this cavern, hidden from the entire world, stands an entrance carved into the roots of a mountain. It is a large stone archway, flanked by two windows surrounded by cobblestone that peer into unknown darkness. The sight sits atop an elevated platform, branching down on both ends into two ornate descending staircases. There is a bed of orange and red leaves that lies in-between the two staircases as columns line the sides of the room.

Surrounded by all this is a doorway to an underground realm of mysteries and secrets, unknown to all humans. _Holy cow!_ _This place looks like it's been here for… for who knows how long. Does she live under a mountain, how do you even do that? Does she live here alone? Oh no, that means more monsters! No. Don't think about that right now. But still… how does no one know about her or this place?! No one mentioned Monsters or Magic back in town! I know I'm not dreaming, but I can't believe that any of this is happening, but it is real and it's so amazing and cool and-!_

"Yes, I know that it is not much to look at. But it is Home, and we do our best to keep it that way. One day, you will be able join me, my child." The Monster says, making Frisk's spine straight as a door as his train of thought breaks.

_Oh yeah. Almost forgot about her. Darn it. I gotta find a way to get away from her and out of this place. There has to be exit, I know there is. But Flowey is out there somewhere, too… can't be too risky either. Just have to play along for now._

"Yeah, sure it will," Frisk says, mostly to him. Before he can start walking, a furry hand presses against his back and shoulder.

"Here my child, I will take you across-." Her hand reminds Frisk of greener grasps.

"No. I… I-I can do it by myself!" Frisk leaps ahead of her.

"Is everything alright my child?" The monster stands over him to watch him.

"Yes everything is fine. I'm okay, let's just go already." Frisk turns away before he can see her face, walking ahead of her.

"Very well my child, whatever pleases you," she says.

Frisk makes his way across the ground towards the two staircases. He finds it impossible to escape the monster's gaze. Feeling the weight of her sight on his being at every moment, following his every movement, and no matter his speed she is always a step or two behind him. He finds it necessary but uncomfortable at the same time, like a stiff pillow and worn blanket on a mattress made out of cold stone.

Frisk arrives at the staircases, one to the left and one to the right. To his surprise, the monster marches ahead of him to the right staircase. She carries a gentle and pleasant smile on her face. She turns around to face the entire room, but there is no doubt in his mind that he occupies the center of her attention and vision.

Frisk walks up the staircase on the left side, with a weight in his shoes and a tear in his heart. _Okay… she's way nicer than Flowey, but who is she? She won't let me out of her sight. Which is a good thing, I guess, but for how long? I mean— she and Flowey aren't human, and what do they want from me? Uh… Do I even want to find out?_

Frisk reaches the top of the staircase, to his lack of surprise the monster is patiently waiting for him. As they reach the stone archway there is only thick shadows and darkness ahead, masking whatever unknown secrets ahead. Frisk finds himself torn in two, eager to run out to explore and discover everything this place has to offer. At the same time, his feet grow roots into the ground, dreading to find whatever dangers awaiting him on the other side.

_This place would be the coolest thing ever any other day. Underground lairs, secret ruins, and who knows what else to explore! But with her around, and Flowey who knows where… Okay. Until I find a way out of here, I need to be extra super careful. Mom is somewhere out there waiting for me and I can't let her down!_ Frisk gazes at Toriel.

"Um… Excuse me lady, sorry, but… can you lead the way? This place still scares me. I'd feel better if you went first." Frisk asks in a bashful voice, hoping to egg her on ahead of him.

"Oh, but of course, my child! That's right; Home isn't home for you yet. I will gladly lead the way. Just follow me closely and do not stray too far. We do not wish to become lost, after all." Toriel walks through the doorway, igniting a fire in her hands to illuminate the next room, to Frisk's contentment.

_That was easy, hopefully she stays in front of me until I can find the… Wait a sec… "Home isn't home for me yet?" What's that supposed to mean?_ Frisk stolidly stares at the room the monster entered. Previously filled by darkness, now there is only a waiting monster. Whether this is an improvement, Frisk isn't sure.

"Only one way to find out." He whispers and enters the new room.

Compared to the previous corridor, the room is far smaller in size and far emptier in its content. At most, the room could accommodate a dozen people. Not that many would be here willingly, as the stone walls and floor have long aged to a dull ugly purple. A stone door with the same symbol on the Monster's robes closes off this room from the next. Strangely there are three rows of stepping stones set off to the side of the path.

"Welcome to your new home, innocent one. Here in the Ruins there are puzzles: ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must be able to solve them to move from room to room. Do not worry my child, they are not dangerous." She says, showcasing the step stones with her hands.

_Puzzles? Like the ones on the back of cereal boxes or the funny papers? Those were a blast! But why would you make puzzles just to open a door? To keep strangers or bad guys out? Flowers I get. Well, sounds more fun than a key and lock._ Frisk eyes an inscription on the wall.

Only the fearless may proceed. Braves ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road. Frisk looks back at the step stones.

_Not the middle road. There are three of them, so… I guess you just walk over the left and right ones? But then how do they unlock the door? Well let me try-_ Frisk steps forward, where an arm parks itself in front of him.

"Here, allow me to educate you in their operation." Toriel steps across the step stones, lowering the stones on the left and right side, leaving the center stones untouched. Once that is done, she flips a concealed switch he did not notice before. The door opens as she stands to its side.

"The Ruins are full of Puzzles. But with enough resolve and creativity, all of them can be solved. So please adjust yourself to the sight of them."

"Wait, couldn't I have done it?"

"Oh, do not concern yourself with that, my child. There are many more puzzles to be found. And I will be there to assist you with solving all of them."

"But how can I learn about the puzzles if you solve them for me?" Frisk crosses his arms and stomps his foot into the ground, frustration growing in his head.

"Well, aren't you eager? Let us move on to the next one, if that pleases you. Just wait here a minute while I prepare it for you." The monster enters the next room, leaving Frisk alone to his thoughts.

_She's plotting something. She has to be. Well, I'm not going to wait to find out!_ Frisk charges into the next room.

It is a long wide hallway lined with the purple aged stone from before. The corridor is divided into three sections by channels with flowing water. They are narrow, more like sewage lines, with stone bridges over to allow passage. The fire from the monster's hand illuminates most of the corridor, but a passageway at the end remains in the dark. Noticing him, she stops whatever she is doing and hurries back to him.

"Oh my goodness! You're early, my child. I was not yet finished with my preparations. But very well; we may proceed and you can solve this puzzle on your own." Toriel gestures around the room with an eager smile. "To make progress here, you will need to trigger several switches. But do not worry. You will be able to do it as long as you stay on the path."

The monster crosses halfway down the corridor stopping at the second bridge, making herself an effective obstacle to bar any travel forward. Frisk hesitantly follows the path, crossing the bridge to meet with the monster over the other side.

_Well, at least I'll be able to solve this one. Kind of reminds me of mazes and puzzle games back up there. Those were always fun. So just gotta-._ "You gotta be kidding me." Frisk whispers under his breath.

It doesn't take a second and it takes even less mental effort to find the switch. It is dug into the wall, surrounded by several yellow arrow markings pointing to it with a yellow message that reads: This one here. Frisk faces the monster.

She stands with a smile as her hands clasp over her torso, her unbreakable stare that follows him wherever he goes. Frisk spies a piece of yellow chalk in her hands. Frisk rolls his eyes and pulls the switch down. There is a heavy mechanical sound cranking from behind the wall, as some unknown mechanism performs its task. It catches Frisk off guard and nearly off his feet.

"Splendid, my child. Now we can move on to the next one. Now if you'll excuse me, I will be waiting for you at the exit while you finish solving this puzzle."

_Yeah, no one could have figured that out_. Frisk thought sarcastically. _And what was that noise?_

The monster reignites a flame in her hands as she crosses the bridge to the small corridor. Frisk steps back from it and her by a few feet.

_Yeah, still not used to that yet. Can't believe there's actual magic. But really—it's just the one switch! A baby could have solved it. What's the point of a puzzle when you just leave the answer on it?_ Frisk travels across the second bridge. There are two switches this time, one left switch with more yellow markings and one right switch left barren and unmarked.

_Does she think I'm a dummy or something? I can do this, why won't she let me-!_

The corridor becomes visible as the monster lights two torches. His breath is stolen away as the darkness disappears to reveal what it was concealing: a series of tall, shiny, & metallic blades rising up from the ground. Their tips reach above his head, their sharpness glistens from the light of her flames, and they block off the entire corridor. There is no way to pass around or through them.

The monster turns around to face him in front of the blades. A fire in her hands and a seemingly sinister smile on her face, hard to tell as the angle and flashes of her flames alternate between revealing and concealing her face. Frisk nails his feet to the ground to keep himself from panicking.

_I knew it! I knew it was too good to be true. There has to be a trap! If I pull on that switch, I'll be trapped for good and she'll fry me_. Frisk faces the two switches again. _Well I'm not going to fall for it!_ Frisk approaches the right switch as quick as he can.

"Wait, my child, that's not the correct-." Frisk ignores the monster's pleas as he pulls down the switch with all of his desperate might. It remains silent.

_Come on, come on! This one has to be the way out. Why is it taking so long? Work faster! I can't stay here!_ Frisk pulls on the switch several times, each attempt meeting the same silent response. Giving into his frustration, Frisk prepares to run back to the bridge when the final pull triggers another heavy mechanical sound. Frisk looks to the corridor, where the blades sink and vanish beneath the ground, paving the path forward to the exit.

"Great! It worked! But where did she-?"

"Here my child, this is the correct switch." Like a snake bite on his ankle, Frisk falls to the ground. He finds the monster at his side with a pulled switch in her hand.

"How did you do that?!"

"The path contains the answer. You must stay on it in order move forward. I thought it might be difficult, so I decided to make it simpler for you." The monster points at the ground, a path leading to switch and connects the entrance, exit, and the first switch together. Frisk remains silent as he lies upon the ground.

"Oh. Guess I didn't see that coming. Sorry, I thought it was a trap." He says with shame on his face and in his voice.

"There is no reason to apologize. Here, let me get you off the ground." The monster approaches him with an open hand reaching out to him. Her fingers grow longer until they become tendrils of vines and her nails blossom into golden petals.

"No that's fine. I can get up myself, no problem." Frisk says in haste, but his words fall on deaf ears as she reaches to grab him.

"Do not worry. I am merely helping you off the ground." Her hands grasp his arm to pull him up onto the floor, thorns and vines flash back into Frisk's mind as he is lifted off the ground by a monster.

"No really I'm okay! I don't need you to do this! Please let me go!" As soon as Frisk reaches his feet he backs away from the monster, nearly tripping back to the ground in his haste, breathing both deeply and rapidly.

"I apologize, my child. If you like we can just stay here for-."

"No. We can move on. We have to move on and get out of here. The sooner, the better. That's all I want," Frisk says, as he walks on ahead of her.

"Very well, we can proceed to the next room." The two of them walk down the corridor to enter the next room. It is another small room, largely empty aside from a strange training dummy. The exit door is already open to Frisk's relief, his nerves still on edge from the previous puzzle.

"Here," She says, "this shall be a very important lesson for you. As a human living in the underground, monsters may approach you. You will need to be prepared for this situation."

_So there are other monsters down here. I guess I should have known, this place is way too big for just her. Even if she really is that nice, there are other monsters down here that will fight me. I can't let that happen. I have to-._ Frisk thought with a nervous gulp, before his thoughts are interrupted.

"However, worry not! There is only one thing that you need to do. When you encounter a monster, simply strike up a friendly conversation to stall for time and I will come to resolve the conflict for you." She travels to the side of the dummy.

_Talking?! What is talking supposed to do against bloodthirsty monsters like Flowey. There's no way she seriously expects me to believe that talking is going to help me deal with monsters!_

"Here begin by practicing with this dummy. You can say anything, the dummy will not mind." The monster showcases the dummy with her hands.

_She's actually serious._ Frisk joins her as he approaches the dummy, face to cotton stitches. He remains there with a loss for words for a few moments, until… "So you're a dummy. Guess that means you're not very bright."

"Splendid! This is what you will need to do with the monsters."

"Really? Just talk to them? There isn't anything else that I need to know about monsters?"

"There is nothing else, and you do not need to worry about anything with me at your side." She says with the upmost confidence.

_Nothing else!? I'm just supposed to stand here and talk to a monster and just hope that they don't try to kill me!? That's crazy!_ Frisk thought as he considers mental scenarios of him talking to monsters and their conclusions, each one worse than the previous one.

"But…But what if they try to fight me?! What if they try to… you know?" Frisk takes a deep gulp as his anxiety rises.

"I can assure you that they will not, because I will always be there to protect you here in your new home. Just think of this dummy as the other monsters and everything will be fine."

_Always protect me?! Even if I agreed to stay here, there's no way she can stay with me forever and everywhere I go! And this isn't my home; I have to find a way back to mom! And now there could be hundreds, thousands of monsters standing in my way!_ Frisk returns his attention to the dummy.

His hand stutters at his side, cold sweat falls down his neck, and goosebumps he didn't know he had ache. The room becomes small, too small for anyone's comfort. The light from her hand leaves the entrance & exit hidden behind darkness. This makes the cold hard reality of his situation impossible to ignore. He is trapped, trapped underground with nowhere to go and at the mercy of monsters.

He stares at the Dummy, but does not see it. Instead he sees undead coming to transform him into one of their own. Terrors from the deep waiting to pull him underwater to drown him. Giant dinosaurs that relentlessly hunt him to eat for their own delight. A killer cyborg from the future waiting to incinerate him with a disintegrator ray gun. But all of these possibilities pale in comparison to the final and most terrifying sight of all:

A talking flower… The dummy shifts upwards off the ground.

"No! I won't let you hurt me again!" Frisk takes the stick that he picked up and hid inside his sleeve, using it to strike down the dummy. His stick tears into the dummy, creating a rip into it as cotton spills out of it. Frisk breathes deeply as he waits for a relief that does not come.

"Ah! The dummies are not for fighting, they are for talking. We do not want to hurt any-." Frisk rushes past the monster, not giving her any thought as he speeds down the corridor.

The darkness does not detour him from his charge. He runs as hard, as fast, and as far as he can to escape. He continues until he crashes into something in the middle of this darkness. He cannot make out any details in the dark, something large and wet, a moist cold breath breathing down upon him. A creature of the night here to consume him, a monster of living shadow to take him away, never to be seen again, perhaps a living blob of mud and water to consume him. Whatever the case, it is the end for him. Frisk slides back against the floor, stopping once futility sinks in. He hugs his knees in order to bury his face, weeping and crying into them as his heart sinks further into despair. Helpless and powerless against whatever opposes him.

"Please Mr. Monster!" He wails. "I'm sorry for running into you. I never meant to come down here. I was looking for someone when I fell down here by accident and I can't find a way out. Then a crazy talking flower grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. And… And that monster tried to kill me! I'm just a kid! I don't know anything that's going on. I just want everything to go back to normal. So please don't hurt me!"

A large frog monster looks on in confusion and disinterest at this human. A light engulfs them and pushes the darkness away. The frog hops away without a care or concern in the world. The tip of a finger brushes Frisk's back before pulling back. For a few moments they remain still and silent until at long last Toriel breaks the silence.

"It must be so frightening for you right now. You were in a familiar and happy place one day, and the next you suddenly find yourself in a new and scary world filled with strangers who don't understand what you must be going through. You don't know why this happened and you wish you can go back in time, fix a simple mistake, and make all your pain go away. Anything so you can forgot how alone you are and don't know what lies ahead of you." Toriel says in a voice, sweet and reassuring but strained with her own pain.

"I apologize for not seeing what you were going through at my side. So please trust me when I say that it does not have to be that way. I may not know what brought you here, my child, but I am certain that you lost someone special on the surface. And I want you to know that you do not have to be alone down here. Because I am here for you." Toriel's words grace his ears and warm his heart.

He lifts his head out of his knees, the will to crawl and cry fading away as her words resonate within him. He faces Toriel and stares at her open hand.

"So how about we try this again, my child?" Frisk remains motionless for a few moments as he looks at Toriel with her inviting warm hand, gentle welcoming face, and her bright shining smile. All the weight fall off him and the strings on his arms are cut as he takes her hand with a tender embrace. A piece of him overjoyed to hold her hand.

Toriel's other hand comes to his face, wiping away the tears with her sleeve. It has a silky-smooth sensation to it, one that makes one want to bury into it, which Frisk greedily indulges with his face and fingers. "There we go. Isn't that better?"

"Yes. Thank you so much. I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner." Frisk and Toriel stand up together. Despite towering over him, Frisk is at ease and doubts have been cast away from his mind. His grip on her hand tightens, bringing her closer to him as they turn face the path ahead of them.

"Apology accepted, my child. Now, let us go home together. There is a puzzle straight ahead, but I know we can solve it together." They walk together side by side and hand in hand ready to face whatever comes for them.

The corridor gives way to a stone bridge that passes over a moat of water. It is illuminated by bright sunlight from the surface, likely from another opening in the ceiling above. It makes the metallic blades from the countless spikes all the more visible to Frisk. The bridge seemingly stretches on for miles without end, the blades reaching up above his head, with a bottomless chasm to fall into before hitting the water.

Frisk backs away from the bridge as his fear and anxiety smash him with a thunderous crash. A hand parks to stop him, and his sight returns to Toriel's smiling face. The light hugs her head like a halo, granting her an angelic aura.

"I know how it looks. But it's not that bad. Here come in front of me." Frisk does as she says, placing himself in front of her legs and body. She crouches down to his level, putting her feet behind his own and grabbing his hands. "Close your eyes, forget the puzzle, and just think of someplace special, someone special. Lead the way and I will ensure no harm comes to you."

"But what if-."

"Nothing bad will happen to you, trust me my child." Frisk sinks back into Toriel's robes, their softness and warmness spreads to fill his entire being. Like the world's softest blanket, it's impossible not to sink into them and bask in their lavish cotton glory. All his fears fade away from his heart and his mind turns cool and calm. His eyes close, forgetting everyone and everything, except for himself and Toriel.

Frisk is filled with Determination.

They share and take their step forward onto the bridge. There is no pain, no blades that cut into his shoes, and no limbs that become severed. Instead there is him and her, a piece of himself could not have been anymore overjoyed to have Toriel. Frisk leads them across the bridge with Toriel at his back. For most of the trip, they travel together without change or incident. At times, Toriel nudges Frisk into a different direction or steers his limbs away from harm. But they always remain together, never breaking for any reason or at any second.

"Open your eyes my child." Frisk does what she says. The bridge and all its blades are gone, now there is only a brightly lit purple stone corridor.

"We did it?" Frisk lets go of Toriel's grasp, which is not an easy task. When he turns around, he can see the bridge in the distance behind them. Frisk jumps upwards, punching the air with his fist with the biggest smile on his face.

"Yes, you did an excellent job my child. I couldn't have done it better myself. I am so proud of you." An alien and indecipherable feeling fills Frisk, making a face at Toriel like she sprouted two additional heads and decided to walk on her hands while her feet juggle.

"Do you really mean that? You're proud of me?" Frisk says in complete and total disbelief.

"Why of course my child! You were utterly superb. I knew that you could have done it. Thank you for placing your faith in me." Her smile beams approval, joy, and pride directly into Frisk's soul which he receives in earnest like a balloon mere moments away from bursting.

"Wow. Thanks you so much Mom!" Frisk covers his mouth the moment that word left his lips, but it is already too late.

"Did you just call me… Mom?" Frisk and Toriel's faces mirror each other with either surprise or shock. A moment of silence passes between them until Toriel breaks it. "Well, I suppose. Would that make you happy? To call me Mother?"

_Why did I say that? How could I say that? Oh no what do I do now? She's looking at me. But… But she's so nice and warm and loving...And I don't know what to do._ Frisk cannot look into Toriel's eyes, preferring the barren blank stone floor, wishing that he could be anywhere else in the world.

"Well then, call me whatever you like." Her hand falls upon his shoulder bringing his attention back to her.

"Okay Miss Toriel." Frisk grabs her other hand, amazed as Toriel's smile does the impossible by becoming brighter and bigger than before. They walk off away together hand in hand like mother and child. They arrive at a long hallway that stretches for a bit of distance. Frisk whines as his hand becomes empty and Toriel walks ahead to face him.

"I have a difficult request to ask of you. I would like you to walk to the end of this room all by yourself. Forgive me for this." Toriel speeds down the hallway to its end before ducking behind one of the pillars at the end. Frisk raises his eyebrow in confusion as he stares at Toriel crudely hiding behind the pillar from the side.

"Uh. Okay." Frisk walks down the hallway like a leisurely stroll until he reaches the end where Toriel steps out from behind the pillar to address him.

"Greetings, my child. Do not worry, I did not leave you. I was merely behind this pillar the whole time." For the sake of being polite, Frisk slaps his forehead within his mind.

"There was an important reason for this exercise. To test your independence. You will need to be able to look after yourself when I cannot be there." She says and Frisk smiles.

"Here in your new home." Frisk pouts hearing those sour words come from a sweet voice, like eating a warm rich chocolate cake and tasting a core of bitter and rotten cherries.

_Oh yeah… forgot about that. What do I do? She really is that nice. And this place is pretty cool. But I can't stay here, I have to move on. How can we… wait? Of course, we can just go together._ _She's pretty powerful, so Flowey and the other monsters won't bother us, plus she knows this place way better than me… In fact, maybe she knows about mom? Probably shouldn't mention her though, it'll be awkward._

"Thanks a lot, Miss Toriel. Can I ask you something?" Frisk extends his hand to Toriel.

"Of course, my child. Anything you wish to know I will gladly tell you." Toriel crouches down to his level cheerfully clasping his hands. Their shared warmth resonates together in their hands.

"The people on the surface told me about humans that got lost on this mountain. That's why I came here. Are there other humans down here in the Underground?" All the warmth disappears from Toriel's eyes, her smile turns solemn, and the grasp of her hand's tender hold becomes a tight imposing grip.

"No. There are no other humans down here in the Ruins." Frisk is taken aback by the sternness of her voice, but painfully accepting them as his hope sinks beneath the waves.

"Wait you said down here in the Ruins. Does that mean there is more to the Underground then just the Ruins?" Frisk could almost see the mental slap Toriel gives to herself, she pulls back one of her hands to rub one of her horns.

"Yes, there is more to the Underground then just the Ruins." Frisk becomes elated as his smile and hope returns.

"So there might be others out there somewhere! If you take me to the exit, we-."

"No. There are no humans in the Ruins and there are no humans in the Underground. You are the only one."

"Okay, fine. So all we have to do is find a way out of the Ruins and back to the surface. Then we can-."

"Absolutely not. You cannot leave the ruins." Frisk is shocked at hearing these words come from her mouth.

"But why?!" Toriel's hand returns to grace his forehead, rubbing his temples tenderly while showcasing her beautiful smile.

"Because only in the Ruins will I be able to take care and look after you and-."

"Stop saying that! I know how to take care of myself!" Frisk says louder than he intended, pulling away from her in shame."

"Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what you've done for me. But I can't stay here." Frisk's heart breaks as Toriel solemnly casts her head to the ground. Leaving a piece of him in tears and enraged for doing this to Toriel. Frisk turns his back to her to make this easier on himself.

"I'm sorry, but I need to move on and I have to find the other humans." As Frisk steps away, a hand grabs his shoulder.

"No I am sorry my child, but I must put my foot down. I cannot allow you to continue. The Ruins are the only safe place for you and must stay with me." The monster says, surprising Frisk with her forceful blunt action.

"Why?! What is out there that is so dangerous? Why do I have to stay here?" Frisk struggles to move as the monster tightens her grip on him.

"It is better that you do not know my child." By now Frisk has had enough, casting the monster off of him to her shock.

"You won't let me go and you won't even tell me why?!"

"And why must you find these other humans? No one climbs this mountain without cause and yet you did it anyway. That choice would have taken you away from the Humans. So why is it so urgent that you must return to them now?" A spotlight falls on Frisk, thousands of eyes and ears appear in the dark and wait for his answer.

Frisk finds himself torn between his mother and his monster. Frisk opens his mouth to answer.

"Do you not trust me to look after you, my child?" Toriel whispers under her breath and Frisk gives the only answer he can muster. He runs away.

"Wait! Do not leave my child! Please come back." Frisk charges for the exit doorway that will take him elsewhere. Which it does, when the floor tile collapses beneath him.

"What the?! No not again!" Frisk tries to grab the edge of the floor tile succeeding before it crumbles as well, sending him into a plummeting drop for the second time this day. Far away from the Monster Toriel.

_No why is this happening! This can't be-!_ Frisk receives his answer: green snake like vines that broke into the foundation of the stone in a deliberate manner. This is no accident.

Frisk receives her call. "Do not worry my child! I promise I will find you!"

As Frisk falls, he finds his answer. "Yeah… I'll find you too, mom.”


	3. Chapter 3: Encounters

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 3

* * *

"How does the same thing happen twice in one day?" Frisk lies on the ground in an aching mess. His bones and joints berate him for landing on a solid stone flood, as opposed to a soft cushion of golden flowers. Fortunately the fall was far shorter than the first one and he lifts himself off the ground with tremendous struggle.

"Well at least I know how many bones I got now. Because I can feel every single one of them. Ooowww…!" He grinds his teeth as pain overwhelms him and stands like a hobbling chair with two missing legs. Frisk shambles as best as he can, but his every nerve pinches him while his feet plead for him to stop and rest.

"C'mon… I can do it. Just put one foot in front of the other. Gotta get back to safety. Forget the pain. Remember where you are. Remember the monsters. Remember Flowey." Frisk makes stumbling rapid steps, nearly tripping with every single one.

_Yeah that works,_ _just think about Flowey. Think about Flowey. Pointy thorns, sharp life choking vines, and running away from dying forever-!_ Frisk thought until he realizes this trick works a little too effectively and smacks himself.

"Stop thinking about Flowey. Think about anything else. Board Games... TV... Being Outside... And... And. Oh who am I kidding." Frisk stops fighting the gravity of the situation and actual gravity. He plops himself onto the ground, flat as a pancake, to satisfy the whines of his beaten body.

_Ugh. Okay maybe running off like that wasn't the greatest idea. But she just doesn't understand that I have...!_ Frisk remembers the vines that brought him here and who saved him from them the first time. "Toriel!"

_Oh, great. You've done it Frisk, you big dummy. She was your only guide and bodyguard. Now you're down here all alone! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ Frisk slams his fists into the ground, as a piece of himself laughs at his misfortune. He stops to hold back the growing sense of anxiety & dread sprouting up within him like invasive vines.

_She's probably worried sick about me right now. Looking everywhere for me. Just like you and me Mom._ A melancholic spell falls over Frisk with his face in the dirt and he cranes his head up. There is a light at the end of this dark corridor, only a few stones' throw away but ones that seem like they were tossed by giants. His body begs him to stop and rest, his mind screams at him to run away from Flowey and monsters, but his heart speaks loudest of all.

"Mom." His vision sharpens to a fine point and he breaks the spell by punching his fist ahead to grab the ground and pull himself ahead. He pulls on the ground with all of his weary might as he drags himself forward. He repeats the action again and again until he makes significant progress across the dark corridor.

"That's right!" He says to himself, "I can't give up now. I won't give up now. Gotta keep going... Have to find the exit... Have to find mom!" Despite every fiber of his body fighting back against him, Frisk does not relent as he drags himself down the corridor.

"Mom will know what to do when I find her. And she'd love to meet Toriel. She'll tell her there's nothing wrong with leaving these Ruins. We could all solve puzzles, go to the park, and share ice cream together." Frisk reaches the end of the dark corridor and emerges into a brightly lit room. "And no one is going to stop-!" Frisk's head turns wet and slimy. Thinking he hit something, Frisk gazes up to see someone.

"Ribbit." It is a frog, albeit large enough to rival adult dogs with its size. The monster has two beady eyes, webbed toes, an amphibian head with dots for a nose, and a second face hidden in-between their legs. One improvised staring contest later and Frisk's mind catches up to reality.

"Oh no! Please don't hurt me Mr. Frog. I didn't mean to bother whatever you were doing. I just got lost, but then I met Toriel, then I did something stupid and now I'm even more lost. And... And please just don't hurt me." The frog monster hops out of his sight and to his side.

"No what are you doing back there?! Please don't... Uh…?" The Frog places their head beneath Frisk's waist and pushes up to help lift him off the ground. Frisk gets back to his feet, the frog's head making a far too convenient stand to use, and they don't seem to mind. Despite the struggle, Frisk returns to his feet thanks to the frog's efforts.

"Wow. Thanks for helping me Mr. Frog. I guess I freaked out back there. You would not believe the day I've been having." The frog continues the staring contest. "Not much of talker are you, Mr. Frog."

"Oh, my apologizes human, I was examining you. I can tell you are new to the Underground. I understand we resemble what you call frogs on the surface, but down here we are Froggits." Froggit speaks, again as if this is completely normal and Frisk wishes he could be in the world where this qualifies as normal.

"Froggit. Okay then nice to meet you Mr. Froggit."

_Maybe this is the kind of dream where pinching yourself doesn't work. This ain't even in the top 5 weirdest things that happened to me today. And why do I feel like the competition is only going to get weirder._ Frisk thought.

"I can see you are injured and fatigued. Follow me this way human." The Froggit hops through a doorway, while Frisk hobbles his way inside. It is a simple & old room as the stone walls and floor wither with age. The sound of gentle water from two small streams on the side gives it an eloquent and livable quality. In the middle of a square of orange and red leaves, sits a pedestal with a bowl of multi-color treats.

"Here Human, take one and only one, they are quite difficult to conjure." Frisk takes one of the treats and eats it. Frisk slams his hand over his mouth to keep the candy and yesterday's lunch from spilling onto the floor. The candy is excessively gooey and creamy with a bitter-sweet flavor to it, but is dense like thick ice cream as it slides down his throat like raw mollusks.

"What is this?! It tastes... fine?" Frisk inspects his body, as the aches, soreness, and throbs all disappear. "I feel fine now?"

"Yes, human. This is Monster candy, made from the finest ingredients including butterscotch, cinnamon, and snail deposits & slime."

"Snails!? Well, no wonder they were just so yummy." He says with an awkward grin as his stomach and tongue wonder why Frisk tortures them.

"The candy is infused with green magic as well, that is why all your pain should be dealt with."

"Wait— the candy can heal me?!" Frisk exclaims.

"Yes, they can. They cannot perform miracles but they can restore your health, stamina, and vitality. However, their effects are only a temporary substitute. I would advise you to return to Lady Toriel, she can truly heal your wounds. Here, I will show you the way." The Froggit hops outside. Frisk is going to join Froggit but stops, his attention returning to the bowl of Monster Candy. It is repulsive and attractive at the same time.

_Sorry stomach, can't take any chances with these monsters_. Frisk leaves with a pocket full of monster candy and an empty bowl behind to rejoin Froggit in the foyer. Like most of the ruins, its prime is now a distant memory with only a few scattered about beds of orange and red leaves to offer some variety in color in the dull and aged stone structure.

"Her home is some distance away from here, but if you follow this path, it will take you to her courtyard and home. There are no major twists or turns, but there will be puzzles to solve and monsters to encounter." says the Froggit.

Frisk deeply gulps, his feet become hard as cement and a cling of static stuns him. _Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later, now I have to meet the monsters. Just please don't let them be as bad as Flowey. Anything but that._ Frisk tightens his grip on the stick hidden in his sleeve.

"Excuse me human, but I have some advice for you about battling monsters." Their words regain Frisk's attention. "When encountering a monster, you will have several options at your disposal when dealing with us. If you act a certain way or... fight us until we are weakened, they might not want to battle you anymore. If a monster does not want to fight you, please show some Mercy, human."

"Mercy?"

"Yes, it means to spare your opponent without harming them."

"You can do that? That works?" Frisk asks in disbelief.

"Yes, contrary to what you may have heard on the surface, most monsters do not enjoy fighting." Froggit says but Frisk does not believe it could be that simple, since it never was on the Surface.

"I'll give it a try I guess."

"Thank you human." Froggit concludes, and they take their separate paths.

_Yeah, Flowey sure didn't enjoy fighting. I'll just talk at it until Flowey leaves me 'll work._ Frisk thought and sighs as he leaves.

The path that Frisk travels is a pale discolored line that distinguishes it from the rest of the aging masonry, exposed dirt, and natural rock of the ruins. Despite the occasional turn into a new corridor, it's a straight path that never breaks or divides, to Frisk's relief. That is, until he comes across his first obstacle crunching beneath his feet.

"Oh… more leaves." The pale path gives way to an auburn stream of leaves. They produce a rainbow of reds, oranges, and yellows, visually vibrant in their coloring without overwhelming his eyes. They are rough and crispy as they crunch beneath Frisk's steps, growing denser as he continues. One step with too much swing kicks some leaves into the air and they cascade around him in a gentle storm.

Frisk kicks again, far more deliberately this time. The leaves continue to crunch and cascade as Frisk treks through them.

In time, he trades walking for sliding, gliding across their surface like a bird. He jumps in piles to create improvised showers of leaves. Frisk stops altogether to gather as many leaves as he can in one pile, throws himself on the ground, waving his limbs to create an angel of leaves. A smile on his face, laughter & cheers in the air, his spirits high as the Underground and Monsters become distant memories in some back corner of his mind.

_Finally, some fun!_ He thought. _This is so much better than just looking through a window! OH! That one looks awesome!_ Frisk arrives at an enormous of pile of leaves. They overshadow him in size and nearly match his height, spreading from side to side of the corridor. The concentration of so many leaves gives off the faint tantalizing scent of oak in the air, like a forest still in its prime. Frisk cannot resist the urge to throw himself into it. Frisk leaps body first into the heavenly cushion of leaves and meets... A hard solid thud onto another solid stone floor.

This time the fall measures mere feet and Frisk meekly raises three fingers into the air. "Should I start keeping a record now?"

Frisk lifts himself up, only to throw himself back down. He uses the leaves that fell into this crawl space to cover himself. He cowers beneath them, struggling to remain still as his body shakes. Wings flutter in the air as a buzzing noise screeches into his ears. Leaves scuffle and fall as the monster flies through the air. With his face buried into the ground, he cannot see anything aside from a moving shadow on the ground.

_Please don't see me... Please don't see me... Just go away and leave me alone!_ A pair of hands removes leaves from his forehead, exposing his presence when the monster yanks off a lock of his hair. The sting of pain sends Frisk leaping up off the ground, his hand rushes to his hair to soothe the pain, coming face to face with the insect monster hovering him with some kind of pillow sheet concealing their body like a fake puppet ghost.

_Oh no, it can see me! What do I do? I have to do something._ He frantically searches for an exit before the monster can act. There is a ladder carved into the stone wall at the rear of this crawl space, behind the flying monster.

_Only one thing to do._ Frisk flees away from the battle, charging underneath the monster to speed to the exit and climb to the upper floor as quickly as possible to escape the monster. Frisk returns to the first floor on the other side of the leaf piles, short on breath and high on nerves after his escape. The monster does not pursue him to his relief.

"That was close!" Frisk exclaims, "It almost clawed my head off! What did it even want?! Well, I'm not sticking around to find out!" Frisk returns to the path, moving to get as far away from the monster as possible. He stops at a new obstacle, one far less joyous then the previous. There is an entire row of spikes emerging from slots in the ground, covering the entire span of the room and barring all travel.

"Oh come on!" Frisk examines the puzzle in detail, a series of pressure plates with stones leading to them. There is a concealed wall switch, but it lies on the opposite side of the room.

"More muscle then smarts. Well least I get to solve this one." Frisk rolls back his sleeves, his arms in need of a triple hamburger with bacon. Frisk sighs at his undersized arms but takes a knee behind one of the stones. He pushes against it with all of his strength and more; mounting strain on him as he fights for every inch forward. As his arms take their final breath, the stone reaches the pressure plate and Frisk uses the rock to catch himself and his breath.

"Well one down, three to go-!" A wailing cry fills the air coming closer to him. Frisk cowers behind the rock as much as he can. To his concern, the flying insect monster wearing a pillow sheet soars into the room, fleeing in terror. To his envy, they fly above the row of spikes and exit the room without delay or struggle.

"Lucky." Frisk moves to the next rock, and the next. Each one is more egregious than the last, but he is unrelenting in his desire to continue his journey. His arms and legs are as weary as noodles as he arrives at the final rock. "Okay it's the last one, just do this and-!"

"Whoa there, pardner!"

Frisk looks around wildly. "Who said that?!"

"Me, right down here. Who said you could push me around?" Frisk gazes down at the rock, realizing the rock is speaking to him despite not having a mouth.

"Wait, you can talk to me? They didn't talk." He gestures at the other rocks.

"Yeah, my cousins ain't chit chatters. But what do you want? I was taking my nap."

_Talking flowers. Talking frogs. Talking rocks… Sure, why not?_ Frisk thought. "I need to get across to the other side and this is the only way to solve the puzzle."

"So, you're asking me to move over there? Okay, just for you, pumpkin." With that, the rock proceeds to defy all known laws of motion and nature as the rock moves under its power towards the pressure plate by a few inches.

Frisk sighs as he approaches the rock again. "Umm—"

"You want me to move even more? Alrighty, how's this, pardner?" The rock shifts upwards. Frisk face palms as he points at the pressure plate.

"Oh, that was the wrong direction. Okay, I think I got it right this time." This time the rock moves down and takes a spot on the pressure plate, deactivating and lowering the spikes beneath the floor to Frisk's relief. He walks over to the other side, only for the spikes to return.

"What?!" He turns back, where the rock returned to its original position. Frisk stomps his way back to address the rock. "Why did you move?"

"Okay, calm down, Pardner. You didn't say anything about staying there. I get the picture now. You can be really pushy, you know. This is quite the workout you're giving me."

"Just stay there and I promise to not bother you anymore." Frisk says with the palm of his hand covering his forehead.

"Sure thing, pardner." The rock returns to the pressure plate and holds their position, bringing the spikes down and freeing the way ahead.

"Finally!" Frisk sighs in relief, crossing past the spikes to the other side of the room. He is beyond content to leave it behind him and return to the path. Before leaving he comes across the wall switch, consumed with curiosity he pulls it down and the spikes return. When he pushes it back, they recede underground.

He simply groans before moving into the next corridor, it's much wider with ample space to run around in. A home could be built within the wasted empty space. Certainly odd, but when Frisk spies the exit around a large corner, he could not care less. He approaches the large square and enters another free fall as his feet break into another pit fall trap. He lands on the ground, but luckily his fall is cushioned with piles of leaves.

"How does this keep happening to me?! Why does this keep happening to me? Can't they come up with anything else for these puzzles? Well at least it can't get any… why did I say that?" Frisk gazes at the ceiling, finding it riddled with pit fall traps built into most of the tiles. Any solution to the puzzle above is buried below scattered leaves. Through the aches and moans, Frisk reaches into his pocket to take out another piece of monster candy.

"I just hope there's a bathroom down here. Hang in there tummy." Frisk swallows the monster candy, the flavor of snail slime delicious as ever. He climbs another stone ladder to the upper floor and attempts to solve the puzzle.

It takes three pieces of monster candy for Frisk to throw up. With no bathroom in sight, he releases the contents of his stomach into a pile of leaves. After soothing his stomach, he retreats up the long ladder to try and solve the puzzle again. The four holes he's already made in the ground make a decent guide.

_Okay, so straight line down on the far right. Move three tiles to the right. Walk up to the free space._ Frisk stumbles his way across, rubbing his stomach along the way. _Now just gotta find the right spot to go down and…_ The tile collapses and Frisk falls through it and falls into the air.

_Ugh, let just get this over with_ …? What Frisk meets is not the hard thud of the stone floor, but the soft bounce of gelatin. Frisk bounces and rolls to the side before hitting the side of the wall.

"What the heck was- That!" It does not take long for Frisk to find the answer as it approaches him: A living pile of gelatinous mass which encroaches upon him. It moves by stretching forward towards him in small tendrils until it shifts the rest of its mass; like a growing tumor. Frisk backs away until his back reminds him of the wall.

"No stay back. I don't want any trouble. I mean it!" The gelatinous mass does not respond. Now mere inches from Frisk, it sprouts tendrils to encircle and surround him.

_It'll eat me like candy, like the Blob Man. I can't let that happen_. Having enough of this, Frisk forms a fist.

"Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you." Frisk raises his shaking fist into the air, hesitating before he brings it down onto the monster. His hand strikes with all the force of a rubber air mallet and bounces off the monster back into the air. The monster continues to roam as the strike never happened at all, leaving Frisk in stunned awe. He raises his hand again, trembling in midair before bringing it back to shield his face.

"No, no, no! What now!? I didn't do anything! What do I do now?" Frisk cowers behind his hands, shaking and shivering his entire being from head to toe. He is unable to stop moving and unable to budge an inch before this monster. A monster he cannot see behind his hands.

"Fighting doesn't work. Can't run. What else is there to do?" Frisk cowers until a tap on his forehead gains his attention. Frisk opens his eyes, where the blob mirrors his own shaking and shivering motions. His shaking brings an end to its encroachment, preferring to observe and understand.

When Frisk stops, the monster resumes its approach to him. In response, Frisk forcibly shakes his body. This seems to please the monster as it shakes again. Like a dance of delightful juggling masses, they continue their efforts until the monster becomes satisfied and leaves. Frisk breathes a sigh of relief at this outcome.

"Wow, being scared worked for once. Got really hot there for a sec. And here I thought only warm toilet seats could be that scary." Frisk returns to his feet and the first floor. This time he solves the puzzle without having to lose his lunch and nerve. He finally makes it through to the exit and into the next room.

A room with a locked door and eight visible holes dug into the ground. An inscription next to the door reads: TO GO FORWARD, ONE MUST GO DOWN.

"You know, I'm not even surprised anymore. With all the times it's happened, it's gotta be fall." Frisk digs into his pocket and around his chest. He grasps a handful of monster candy and rubs his grieving stomach.

Luckily, each hole comes with a cushion of leaves to absorb most of the impact. However, the residual pain from his previous falls forces Frisk to eat pieces of monster candy to ease his pain. Although Frisk wonders if he will ever eat candy again by the time this ordeal is over. Falling into another hole, this one seems no different from the previous ones as Frisk lifts himself off the ground.

"I swear, if I have to drop down one more time today, I'm going to break something. Because it ain't gonna be… me!" Frisk throws himself back to the ground to dig through the leaves.

"I saw it! I know it's here! There it is!" A faded red hair ribbon lies on the ground amidst the leaves and Frisk claims it. A worn label reads: MADE IN. The nation's name is long gone, but is enough to tell him this ribbon did not come from the Underground.

_I knew it! This means there are other humans down here! Or at least they used to be here! Yes! Mom, here I come... Oh yeah… forgot about Toriel_. Frisk casts his head in disappointment and sighs with the ribbon in hand. Leaving him with a pain in his heart no monster candy can mend.

_But why would she lie to me? She really wants to keep me here. What doesn't she want me to know? What kind of answer was that anyway? For all I know the secret ingredient to these candies is kids! This ribbon didn't get here on its own_. Frisk sneers as his grip on the ribbon tightens and he tries to drop the candy.

_But no, she's so nice. She can't be like Flowey. Can she? Is she really waiting for me to lower my guard? Or does she actually care about me? She's a monster, and monsters are supposed to be bad._ Frisk's attention turns from the monster candy and the hair ribbon as they fill him with ease and unease. Unable to decide, both of them drop into his pocket.

"I should at least give her a chance. I can't stay here, but maybe we can-." Frisk's foot hits something. "Oh it's a turnip."

"Who you calling turnips!?" a voice says.

"Who said that?" Frisk says, frantically searching for its source.

"We did!" The turnip plucks itself out of the ground to fly in midair, triples in size, and multiples into three beings. They all have holes serving as eyes and mouths that somewhat resemble a face, but all three are different. The center one is a fat purple turnip, the left one is a small brown beet with tall leafy sprouts, and the third on the right is a tall and skinny carrot.

"Now do we look like turnips to you kid?" The Turnip says.

"We aren't even beets, what are ya, blind?" The Beet speaks.

"You don't even have eyes. Does that means you're the Turnip?" The carrot asks.

Unsure of what to say, Frisk just answers their questions. "Yes. No. and No."

"He really can see us then. He's not a Turnip just like us!" The turnip says to the carrot and beet.

"Maybe he's just like us."

"No he's too small and brown to be like us. What is he anyway? Some kind of fruit cake?" The carrot asks in disinterest.

"But... But you all look like turnips." Frisk says.

"Turnips are vegetables and vegetables can't talk kid." The beet says.

"Oh maybe he came here to become a Vegatoid. Here kid have these!" The turnip turns excited and approaches Frisk in a controlled descent.

"I don't care I just want to go back to germinate." The carrot loses interest in the conversation and leaves.

The center Vegatoid materializes small turnips around the three of them which charge towards Frisk. While Frisk is able to evade the majority of them, the last one hits him straight in the face. While the pain is preferable to another fall, it does not make it any less unpleasant.

"Why did you do that for?!" Frisk says while rubbing his head.

"If you wanna be a Vegatoid kid." The Turnip says.

"You gotta get planted like us!" The Beet speaks.

"I think once I sprout, I hope I can burrow through the ceiling." The carrot adds, but no longer part of the conversation.

"But I don't want to be a turnip!" Frisk chews on another piece of monster candy.

"Oh, but you do want to be Vegatoid?!" The Beet asks.

"No, I don't! I just want to... Oh no not again." Frisk's mouth inflates as his gag reflex begins to fail and he punches his chest to quell his stomach.

"Oh, look at that boss. He's turning green now!" The Beet cheers on the Turnip.

"I knew you had it in ya Kid. Here have some of these!"

"Then after that I can break through to the surface." The carrot continues its conversation alone.

The center turnip launches another salvo of vegetables at him, although now they are of a pure green. Due to his stomach's revolt, Frisk is unable to bring himself to budge an inch. The green turnip gets closer to him, so he shuts his eyes and waits the inevitable. The turnip hits him square in the mouth, throwing him back to the wall, and a portion of the turnip travels down his throat.

"Why do you keep doing... Huh?" No pain, and in more than one way. The impact is harmless and the turbulent raging storm in his stomach quells itself. As Frisk picks himself up, he eats the turnip. Despite its sour flavor, his strength and vitality return with every bite, and he finds the green turnip infinitely preferable to the monster candy.

"There you go kid! Now you're getting the picture." The turnip is finally satisfied with Frisk.

"Oh, I wish I had a camera right now!" The Beet spins around in midair.

"After that, everyone will be able to use me and climb all the way to the surface." The Carrot in lost their own world.

"Well that's convenient," Frisk says as the Vegatoids speak among themselves.

"Wait a minute. Be quiet you two! I just realized something. He's not a Vegatoid. He's a Human!"

"A human! That means we can use his soul to cross the barrier boss!"

"I forgot what I was talking about. Also, who are you two talking to?" The Carrot addresses their vegetable friends.

"The human!" They say in unison.

"What human?" The carrot asks and the Turnip launches another vegetable.

"That one!" The turnip hits empty space. "Wait, where did he go?"

_Okay, do I give that third or fourth place on the weird list? Oh, who am I kidding? It's not like it's going to take long for something else to 'beet' them_. Frisk climbs the ladder craved into the wall to reach the upper floor. Thanks to process of elimination, Frisk discovers which hole contains the switch to unlock the door, to his relief.

As Frisk enters this new room, he sees that it is largely barren aside from a few columns. But it retains the aged dull purple color scheme Frisk's eyes have grown numb to. This monochrome color theme allows three things to stand out: Another set of doors blocking spikes, three multi-color buttons sitting next to the pillars, and an inscription on the wall.

THE FAR DOOR IS NOT AN EXIT. IT SIMPLY MARKS A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE.

"Change in perspective? Guess I'll find out on my own. Well at least I don't have to fall down anymore." Frisk examines the buttons, pushing each of them one by one until the blue switch lowers the spikes blocking the doorway.

Frisk exits the room to enter the same room to his confusion. Albeit rotated around in a 90-degree direction, hiding switches behind different pillars. The pattern repeat: Frisk reads a wall inscription that tells him what button will deactivate the spikes. With recall, Frisk determines which button will allow him to continue. As the process continues, the puzzle grows progressively difficult as the switches become less visible and the instructions vaguer in their descriptions. Yet, Frisk makes his way through the puzzle rooms one by one until he arrives at the final room.

"Hi!" Frisk falls onto the floor as a giant eye stares at him.

Upon closer inspection, the eye belongs to a large, green, circular body, with stubby limbs, and a pair of sharp angular horns on its head. Next to this monster, an oversized but smaller yellow and black striped beetle stands on their hind legs. Together they approach Frisk, forcing him to retreat until his back reaches the wall, cornered with nowhere to flee. Everywhere he turns there is a giant eye standing before, around, and surrounding him.

"A human. Never seen one of you before. How interesting." The horned monster says.

"Obey and follow the group." The beetle monster says.

_Oh no! They got me cornered. I'm a goner!_ Frisk throws his hands over his face to block his face and waits for the inevitable.

_No!_ Frisk thought in defiance. _I can't give up so easily. I made it this far. I got past every other monster and I won't stop now!_ Frisk equips his stick and readies to swing it at the monsters. Before this, he notices something.

_Wait a second._ Frisk lowers his arms to see the monsters have not moved at all. The horned monster continues to stare at him with intense curiosity. The beetle monster keeps their fists up and jogs in place, but looks on at the other monster. As if waiting for an unspoken command. His stick does not go unnoticed.

"Hey! What you trying to do?! Are you picking on me?!" The horned monster becomes assertive, their eye coming within inches of Frisk's person. The beetle monster cheers and leaps for the fight to come. Frisk stands still with the stick in his hand, cornered by these monsters. The horned monster's eye follows his every move, and Frisk waves his arm and stick around against the wall. Always watching, awaiting his next choice and the beetle monster follows its direction. Both seem intent on staying, but neither makes any aggressive moves.

"So, are you picking on me?!" Frisk makes his choice.

"No. I don't want to pick on anyone." Frisk retracts his stick back inside his sleeve.

"Thank goodness. Someone finally gets it." The horned monster rubs its hand against its forehead, smiling as it stares at Frisk. "Sorry. I've never seen a human before. You look so strange and different. But in a good way."

"Obey the hive. Follow the others." The beetle monster calms down and takes on a more passive and relaxed stance.

"Uhhh… Thanks. You look nice, too." Frisk says, much to the delight of the horned monster.

"Wow. You mean that?" His eye stares intensity, awaiting his answer this time.

"I guess. Can you please stop staring at me?" Frisk says, desperate to escape from this awkward situation.

"Yes. But I want to know more about humans. Can I stare at you later then?"

"Sure, why not? Sounds like a plan to me." Frisk shrugs his shoulders, which satisfies the horned monster. They smile and run away, leaving Frisk alone with the beetle monster.

"Thanks so much! I'm going to tell my parents I met a real human!" Frisk sighs as he steps forward, only to remember the beetle monster.

"What to do! What to do! No one to follow! All alone! What to do!" They panic and frantically shift around in their position.

"Hello." He says, and the beetle monster turns to Frisk with undivided attention.

"Do you know what to do for me?" The beetle monster asks.

"I don't know. What do you want to do? Just do that." The beetle stands still for a few moments. They get on their toes to perform a dance, tapping and spinning on their tiny toes, bringing a smile to Frisk's face. Eventually the monster dances away with a smile on their insect face, leaving the path unobstructed and empty.

"These monsters… They're weirder than I thought. Don't know if that's a bad thing or good thing. Let's hope my luck doesn't run out." Frisk exits through the doorway, leaving the puzzle room behind him. The stone hallway brings him into an empty corridor, a small plate of cheese sits on a stool next to a mouse hole. A note attached to the side reads: RETURN TO TORIEL.

_Toriel! I'm Almost there. Just have to-._

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ."

"What the heck is that?" Frisk enters a large room divided into two sections by a small narrow connecting corridor. Inside this area is a giant pillow lying on the ground. Frisk approaches the pillow with anticipation and hesitation.

"They gone yet? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ." The pillow whispers in between the constant repetition of Z.

"Are you saying Z?" Frisk stops, unable to continue as the pillow effectively blocks the way. His heart pumps faster as he extends his hands towards the pillow to move it with force.

The pillow gets up, bending at a 90 degree angle to reveal their eyes and mouth. They fly into the air, revealing themselves to be a ghost. It takes all of Frisk's nerve to keep himself from running back to the puzzle room in the face of this ghostly specter. Frisk's eyes twinge in terror before the ghost. Unlike every other monster from before, this one stands in league of its own as a literal messenger from beyond the grave.

"Oh my gosh! A real ghost! Please, Ghost! I didn't mean to disturb your sleep! I didn't know! Please don't haunt me or possess me or anything else! Please, I didn't mean it! You got to believe me!" Frisk gets on his knees and clasps his hands together to pray and plead to this ghost.

"Oh… Okay then… I won't do that. I guess." The ghost whispers so quietly Frisk almost could not hear them. The ghost is simple in their shape and form as they resemble a stereotypical ghost with a long, curved, pure white body. Aside from their large eyes and mouth, they have no other facial features. The ghost remains unmoving and unchanged in their position blocking Frisk's path.

_What the heck am I supposed to do! It's a real Ghost! I need to get to past it! But if I'm not careful, it could haunt me like in the movies! And I can't die yet! But how am I supposed to get past it?! I need to do something-._ Droplets land on his face, knocking Frisk out of his panicked trance, and Frisk rubs his forehead. _What the… Where did it-?_

"Listen, I'm sorry, but I'm just not feeling up to it today." The ghost hangs their head low, but not as low as their sorrowful voice. They float in the air and look at Frisk, but seem distant in mind and soul. Frisk examines the droplets in his hand.

_Tears… They're crying?_ As if they read his mind, more tears fall onto him until the ghost speaks.

"Oh I'm sorry… I'm in your way and I got you wet. Here you can go." The ghost monster floats to the side, freeing the path for Frisk. "I'm sorry for doing that. I always mess things up... You can go now... Like everyone else..."

"Thanks for doing that." Frisk is surprised by their actions and sad spirit.

"No problem... Hope you have a nice day..." The ghost says; their voice on the verge of breaking into pieces. Frisk takes a few steps, until he gazes over his shoulder back at the lonely ghost.

"Oh don't worry about me… You don't have to… No one does." The ghost flies to disappear into the darkness deep within the ruins. Despite having a clear path, Frisk is unable to take his eyes away from the ghost monster.

The feelings of loneliness, fear, and sadness… he can see them in the ghost, and within himself. They draw him to and away from the ghost at the same time. His eyes close, standing still with a heavy choice to make.

_What would you do, Mom?_ The answer is clear.

"Hey wait!" Frisk walks back and the ghost monster faces him,

"Uhh… you want something? Or do you just want to hurt-?"

"No. No, I don't want to fight. I just wanted to… to talk?" He stands there waiting for an idea that doesn't want to appear, hiding away like a coward. And when Frisk is scared, he knows what to do. "Hey do you want to hear a joke about ghosts?"

"Uhh… okay." The ghost says.

"Now that's the Spirit!" Frisk smiles nervously and waits for their response. The ghost remains silent for a few seconds until the punch line sinks.

"Oh, that's a good one." The ghost chuckles to themselves, and their laugh lifts Frisk's own spirit.

"Here's another one. What do you call a ghost who robbed the bank? A Polter-Heist"

"Ha. That was nice too. Do you have any more?" The ghost monster's face relaxes as the tension eases, Frisk becomes more comfortable.

"Okay here's my last one. What acting advice did one ghost give to the other? Just act Super Natural." Frisk makes a show out of his hands, amusing the ghost as they laugh.

"Hey. Here let me show you something." The ghost cries through its smile, this time its tears float upwards to its head. The tears collide together as they form a top hat on its head. "I call it 'Dapper-Blook'. Do you like it?"

Frisk must admit the hat does make the ghost quite cute and handsome. Any fear of the ghost dies away within him. "It looks positively dashing on you, or should I say ghastly." They share a laugh together in the corridor.

"Wow. I usually come to the Ruins because there's nobody around for me to bother. But today I got to meet someone nice like you. Thanks." The ghost smiles.

"Well, Thank you too." Frisk returns the smile, a sense of warmness building up within him like smoldering sparks from a dying flame finding its second wind. "It feels nice to be nice."

"My name is Napstablook. I live in Waterfall, come on by if you want to say hi… or not. But don't be afraid to float on by. I'm not very scary. Oh… I'm rambling again, I should get , little friend." After that, the ghost monster flies away into the air, leaving Frisk alone.

"Well that was different. But I'm glad it turned out this way. Mercy… I guess it works after all. Thanks, Froggit." Frisk resumes his journey, feeling brighter and lighter than he has this whole time alone in the Ruins.

Frisk enters another stone corridor. It is barren and featureless, but Froggit is correct, and he now had no reason to doubt them, this should eventually take him to Toriel's house. Frisk sprints with eagerness and energy in his steps, so close that he can almost feel her.

"Okay," he says, "first thing I'm going to do is say sorry for running off like that. Give her the biggest hug to get her happy again. Then I just gotta find a way to convince her to just let me move on. If she doesn't let me then I'll know for sure what she wants. Maybe find a way for the both of us to go. After all its-!" Frisk becomes motionless as a statue. He cannot believe what his own eyes are showing him and pinches himself.

"…Just the two of us." The world stops spinning and becomes quiet as a graveyard, as Frisk is filled with awe, shock, and an overwhelming sense of relief.

"Hey! You, over there! I'm right here!" Frisk waves his hand, an enormous smile on his face as he runs down the corridor.

_I knew I wasn't alone down here. I just knew it!_ Frisk stops his pursuit a few feet behind the walking child.

Her height surpasses Frisk by a few inches. A long mane of unkempt brown hair cascades from her head, tied into a ponytail by a blue hair ribbon. She wears a bright red sweater with two orange stripes going across her torso and one stripe on her sleeves. A pair of darker red shorts rolls down to her knees with her legs ending in two brown boots.

Before Frisk could speak again, she turns around to bring her face into view. Sharp and defined with no baby fat, giving her a physical maturity beyond most children. Her hair is a rich and vibrant brown, it hugs her face and covers her forehead and desperately needs a comb. Her skin shines with a golden brown color with a natural aesthetic and fair complexion. But her most striking feature belongs to her eyes, almond in shape, large in size, and a deep and beautiful hazel.

All of these separate parts pale in comparison when compared to the whole and changed reality of his situation: another human being.

"Listen girl— sorry, don't know your real name, but boy, am I glad to meet you! I can't even explain what a relief it is to find a familiar face down here! Listen, I don't know what's going but maybe we can... Hey, are you okay there? You're kind of freaking me out."

From the look on her face, Frisk wonders if Napstablook appeared behind him as she gives him a thousand yard stare. Her eyes wide and white with absolute shock, yet remaining laser focused on him, as if she is trying to drill into him with her vision. As if her eyes are responsible, Frisk becomes frozen in her presence, unable to escape from such an unbreakable stare.

"You can see me? You can hear me? You know I'm here?!" She asks in breathless anticipation, as though her life depends on the answer he gives her. Frisk does not know which is stranger, her silence or her words.

"Yeah, I can see and hear you. Why wouldn't I be able to? Listen, before we can help each other out, I think we should get our bases covered and-." She inexplicably laughs. It is soft and humble at the start, but her laughter continues on and on without end. Eventually it evolves into a bizarre combination of hysterical cackling and joyous laughter, as if one combined the funniest joke in the world with the most sinister of villainous laughs. Frisk longs for the return of the awkward silence.

"Okay, glad to know you're having a good time, but what is so funny?"

"Best joke ever! It was that easy this whole time!" Her rapid deep breaths overwhelm her words, almost reducing them to mere gibberish. Her laughter takes a frightening turn as tears stream across her cheek. The laughs slowly transform into weeping sobs. She collapses to the ground, reducing herself to a crying wreck upon the floor.

Frisk steps away from her, as questions play a tug of war inside of his heart over himself and this strange girl. She may be human like him, but she is already stranger than any monster he's encountered so far in the Underground. Should he help her or not? Eventually, they give way to one side. "Hey, what's wrong? You can tell me. Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't know anymore!" She buries her face into her knees and arms, crying and sobbing like he told her about the death of some family member or close friend. Despite his hesitation, Frisk extends his hand to her.

"Hey, maybe I can help you. Wait come back!" As if on instinct the human girl leaps to her feet and flees down the corridor as fast as she can.

Frisk chases after her, but her head-start and speed gives her a major advantage. No matter how fast he runs, she remains in the distance, sprinting away from him. But with time and stamina on his side, Frisk slowly catches up to her. The sounds of her wails and cries give away her position, even after banking a turn to escape him.

"Wait stop running! I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to... talk?" The air becomes dead with silence. All the cries and wails disappear into nothing. Frisk reaches the turn to enter a wide and expansive courtyard, finding nothing but empty abandoned space.

"That's impossible. She was just here. No one can move that fast in the blink of an eye." Frisk searches everywhere his eyes can reach. There is nothing and no one to be seen, leaving him all alone with nothing but confusion and questions.

"No way she's really gone. How did she do that? I was just a few seconds behind her..." Frisk is at a loss for words. His list of the top 5 weirdest things that have happened to him today finds its first-place winner, and he does not expect anything else to dethrone it.

"Who the heck was that?!"


	4. Chapter 4: My Son, My Moon, My Stars

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 4

* * *

_Who the heck was that?!_ Frisk thought, his hands rubs his head to abide the confusion whirling inside his head after losing the strange girl. _All these monsters and it's the other human kid that runs away with the tail we don't even have in between our legs? Why would she do that, I was trying to…_

"My Child!" Frisk's attention is broken as Toriel's sweet voice sings in his ears. Before he could react, two arms pull him into an embrace of cotton soft linen robes. Warmth emanates from her being in waves of tender care and concern. Barely masking the scent of smothering flames that resonate from her, not like a wild fire, but a gentle and humble campfire. Frisk could almost fall asleep within her arms, clinging to her with an appetite he did not know needed to be satisfied.

"Oh, my child. Please do not do that ever again. I apologize, if I did something wrong or spoke out of turn. I was so worried about you." Toriel separates Frisk to inspect him and realizes the extent of his damage with fright on her face.

"Here, allow me to heal you my child." Toriel's hands glow green as she rubs them across Frisk's face and body. Frisk relishes the healing affect washing over him like a warm shower after a long cold and hard day. Unlike the monster candy which merely numbs pain and heals superficial damage, her hands vanquish any lingering pain and strain for good.

"What have you been doing, my child!? Please tell me, did anyone harm you?!" Frisk does not know how to reply to her concerns, his mind searches for the perfect answer in vain.

_I was looking for her_. Frisk thought and grasps onto the hair ribbon in his pocket. Despite being a faded red, he could not help but imagine it being blue and running away from him on a mane of brown hair. The memory fills him with unease and uncertainty. No one hurt him, but how long will that remain true. If a mere flower would try to murder him, why not anyone else? And why would Toriel tell him he was alone, when he is not?

_She's so nice… it can't be an act, can it?_ Frisk does not want to think poorly of her, but too many questions plague him. Despite all these doubts and fears, he could not muster them in Toriel's presence, not after all the care she has done and given him. Smothered under waves of uncertain guilt, he pushes those concerns to the side for the present, content to wait and find the answers on his own.

He could not help but smirk, finding himself in the same position as Toriel. One asking a question and other unable, or unwilling, to provide an answer.

He drops the ribbon to the bottom of pocket to free his hands, bringing one to grasp her hand and thrusts the other into the air to feign excitement. "Oh no, I'm fine… N-No one, well no one besides F-Flowey but you already knew about that, t-tired to hurt me. The Ruins were great to explore and the monsters were r-real nice."

To his relief, Toriel smiles and clasps her hands. "Splendid! I am overjoyed to hear that. But you must be more careful in the future, my child, here in the Ruins. There are many monsters and traps amuck."

"Yes…Listen, Miss Toriel. I'm really sorry that I ran off like that. I guess I wasn't thinking… I-." Frisk stops when Toriel grasps his shoulder and locks a tender, but strong, stare with him.

"Think no more of that my child, we are together and that is all that matters." Frisk returns her warm smile with one of his own, content to join her company and find answers on his own. "Because now we are Home." Frisk maintains his smile to hide the frown on his heart.

_Oh… I guess she's still on that… That's just great. I'll deal with it later_. Frisk's stomach loudly announces itself.

"My goodness, you must be hungry after your perilous journey. But I haven't prepared anything yet… well, since you have already introduced yourself to the Ruins. Do you mind coming with me now, my child?" Toriel extends her hand to Frisk.

"That sounds nice, let's stay together." He takes her hand and follows her as Toriel leads him away from the stone courtyard to some other section of the Ruins.

_I just found her, can't lose her again. And I don't want her to look like that again._ He does not know her well, but a frown on her face just seems so wrong. _Besides Frisk, stay with her and she'll show her real colors... Please be real, please don't be like Flowey._

As Frisk reflects on Toriel, he cannot help but think about his other strange encounter with the human girl. _That was just so weird, how does anyone disappear like that anyway? I guess magic is for real, but humans can't do magic. Am I going crazy or something? Was she even real? Am I seeing things now? And why do I feel I don't want to find out?_

With his mind in turmoil, the sleeve of Toriel's robe acts like a pain killer with its rich soft and velvety texture. Unable to resist, he takes her sleeve deeper into his own grip, in comfort it is second place only to her fur.

"Until dinner is ready, have some of these to quell your little tummy." Frisk reaches his other hand as Toriel drops something into them. His eyes sink into his stomach when he realizes they are Monster Candy. "I made them myself. I hope you enjoy them my child."

"Gee, thanks...! I love them already."

Frisk and Toriel walk through several corridors until it becomes an alley which brings them into the stone street in the cityscape of the Ruins. It is only a handful of city blocks in size, smaller than even some larger human villages. Its structures would be classical and ornate in design, had they not lost most of their beauty to the passage of time and nature's reclamation. Despite the large feeling of abandonment and neglect, life still persists.

There are many monsters going about various activities and transits. There are Froggits hopping from place to place, hives of insect monsters scouting, and humanoid monsters which resemble humans and not at the same time. Some wandering from place to place, some playing amidst themselves, and others attending private affairs. They occupy shapes and sizes of all kinds, with colors scattered across the rainbow; yet it is clear they all call these ruins home.

Overwhelmed by so much and so many monsters, Frisk keeps his eyes to the ground. The visual does little to alleviate his distress, seeing pairs of two legs, many legs, and even no legs at times. He is unable to move on, until her hand grasps his shoulder.

"I know it's much to take in at once. But do not worry, my child. I know many of them and I know that they will not harm you. Besides, as long as I am at your side, you have nothing to concern yourself with." Frisk's doubts disappear as assurance flows down into him from her words and presence. With that they step onto the stone street and make their way to Toriel's destination.

Any hope Frisk might have had at disappearing into the crowd dies as countless eyes fall upon them. Like there is a moving spotlight over his head or a parade announcing their arrival everywhere they go. Their collective gaze is impossible to escape, as they become the unquestioned center of attention of the monsters. Their stares blend together into a mixture with an abundance of awe, a cup of curiosity, and a fragment of fear.

Frisk does not know which is worse: The attention of one homicidal flower or the attention of many monsters, all different and with unknown intentions.

They arrive at Toriel's destination, a small market place of shops. Nothing too extensive as the clientele is small in number, but enough to fulfill most basic needs. The Shopkeeper approaches, another monster with a single eye in their body with horns coming from their head.

"Hiya there Toriel! What will you have…?" He says to Toriel but turns shocked as human two eyes meet one monster eye. "Oh, I see there's a new face in the underground." Even a blind man could see the nervous shift in the shopkeeper's demeanor.

"Oh, nothing special," Toriel says, "I am just getting some ingredients for dinner tonight. We have a new resident and I want to give him a welcome dinner. "

"I can see that… W-Well, I guess I can fix something up for the two of-!"

"Dad, look! It's a human! See, I told you I wasn't seeing things." A smaller version of the shopkeeper emerges from behind the counter to stare at Frisk.

"Loox! Wait, this is the human you telling me about. Oh I'm sorry for doubting you. So, you two have met after all."

"He didn't pick on me, dad. Someone finally gots it! He's my friend now." Loox leaps from excitement.

"Hey, I remember you." Frisk recognizes the monsters in the button room puzzle, not expecting to meet him again so soon.

"Well I am so glad to hear that. You must have had quite some fun in the Ruins my child" Toriel says, her smile beaming with joy and pride at Frisk, enough for him to lift his face along with his spirits.

"My son hasn't been able to stop talking about the human he met in the Ruins. I thought he was pulling my leg, but it's nice to know that he was able to make a friend. Thank you human."

"Hey, can I stare at you now? You said that I could." Loox bangs his fists into the table, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

"I guess I did say that." Frisk rubs the back of his head as Toriel lets go of him.

"Go ahead, my child, enjoy yourself with him. Just do not stray too far from my sight. I can take care of this." Frisk steps aside as Loox joins him in a one-sided staring contest while Toriel goes about shopping.

_I don't think I'll be able to get out of this._

Toriel carries on her business with the shopkeeper, picking up ingredients and foods. To Frisk's disappointment, snails are included. This all occurs as Loox stares at Frisk, visually inspecting him for all he is worth. While amusing at first, Frisk is off put at being the center of so much attention. Frisk has never done well in the spotlight, even with humans; now with monsters, the effect is tenfold.

"What are you looking for?" Frisk asks.

"Nothing. Just looking at you." Loox says.

"Why?"

"Never seen a human before. Never know if one will come again. Want to see you now."

"Oh, come on, there has to be other humans around. I can't be the only one."

"No, there are no other humans. At least I have never seen one in my life. But definitively no humans in the Underground. Besides you of course." Frisk frowns after hearing that.

_So there really aren't any other humans down here. That rules Mom out, and that weird girl. Guess I was barking up the wrong mountain._ Frisk stares at Toriel. _But all that means is that I gotta keep going then. She's not going to like that._

"What are humans like?" Look's words break his thoughts.

"Uhh… umm I'm not really sure. We're just human, I guess. But hey, if you want to find out, tell me; is there any way out of the Underground so we can-." Toriel pulls Frisk away before that conversation can continue.

"Let us move to our next stop my child. We must be moving on. Thank you for your time." The two horned monsters stand together as they wave at Frisk and Toriel. Both of them happy and content as he and Toriel leave with her bag of groceries.

As they exit, they remain surrounded by countless stares from the other monsters. However, their stares are considerably calmer and more relaxed, no doubt due to having Loox's approval. With their stares far less heavy now, Frisk lifts his own sights. Paying more attention this time around, Frisk notes their attention is not entirely on his person, but shared equally between him and Toriel. However he can lift his head only so far, finding admiration and respect when they look up to Toriel and a curious but careful watch down on him. Even as they approach a group of monsters ahead of them, one of them break away to address Toriel but with a tense tongue in his presence.

"Lady Toriel, thank goodness you've come." The monster speaks.

"I am glad to be here, what is happening?" Toriel asks, as several of the other monsters join the crowd. To Frisk's surprise, they all bow to her. However that is not as surprising as the crying monster in the center of the crowd. A tiny bug monster with a pillow sheet covering their body, while they rub tears out of their concealed eyes.

"Oh, Lady Toriel," a monster speaks up. "You're not going to believe this. Whimsun was on their way home when some trouble maker destroyed it. When Whimsun tried to fix their house the trouble maker leaped at them and terrorized them before running away." Frisk gulps nervously as he hears this very familiar situation, but in his version he was playing in piles of leaves when a monster suddenly appeared out of nowhere to terrorize him.

"Oh dear, that is awful. I cannot believe that someone would do that." Frisk rubs his arm, turning away, unable to look at what he has done.

"I can only hope that whoever did this knows what they did." Frisk steps away as he lets go of Toriel. "And learns from their mistake." Frisk nearly jumps out of himself as Toriel whispers behind his ear.

"How did you know it was me?" He rapidly turns to face her.

"I did not, I suspected you, and now you have told me the truth." Frisk's face drops with shame at his unintentional confession. "Besides, most monsters know where to tread carefully and where to not. I know that you do not, my child."

"It was a complete accident, I swear! I was playing through the leaves and there was this big pile that I just wanted to throw myself into and there was a hole. And I didn't know and I'm wasn't thinking, and-." Frisk stops as Toriel's hand grasps his shoulder and crouches down to eye level with him.

"I believe you, my child. You are still new, and there is much you need to learn. I look forward to teaching you. But I am not the one that you need to apologize to." Toriel stands aside and Whimsun's tears come into his view. Frisk sighs, clenching his fists but knowing what must be done.

"Hey." Frisk approaches Whimsun in the center of the crowd of monsters, all of them waiting to see what he will do. Frisk can tell that Whimsun is not made of sterner stuff as they nervously float away from him into the air.

"No don't go. I… I really don't know what to say. But I was playing through the leaves earlier and I threw myself into… them." Whimsun visibly panics and cowers away from him. "And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break your house. I'm so sorry for that. I was having so much fun that I didn't realize that you were…"

"I'm sorry, I can't do this." Whimsun whispers.

"Wait, come back!" Whimsun flies away into the air as Frisk tries to follow with his hand. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Don't take it too personally, Human. Whimsun doesn't do well under pressure, even at the best of times." A monster says to Frisk.

"But I said I was sorry." Frisk falls down to his knees.

"I know you did, my child," Toriel says gently. "But sometimes words are not enough & people need more to heal. All we can do now is wait for Whimsun to be ready to accept us, that is when we will be able to help." Frisk leaves with Toriel, her hand patting his back in order to give him reassurance. "Now let us go home together."

"Alright then." Frisk walks with her, the memory of Whimsun's weeps weighting down his heart. As they leave the market place, a pair of spider webs and a sign captures his attention. He tugs on Toriel's robes to direct her attention.

SPIDER BAKE SELL - ALL PROCEEDS GO TO REAL SPIDERS –

5 G FOR DONUT OR CIDER

"Oh, my child, would like a treat?" Frisk answers with earnest rapid nods. "Well, dinner will not be ready for some time. I suppose something small would be fine for now. Here, take this, but do not spoil your appetite." Toriel hands him what he assumes to be Monster currency, small circular golden coins.

He enters the bake sell and tosses the G into the Spider webs. This spurs two spiders to drop down from the wall as they bring a donut and cider into his hands. Frisk shivers as a creeping sensation tingles up his spine, a piece of himself is beyond uncomfortable with spiders. Eager to leave, Frisk takes the donut and cider. He drinks the cider, rich and thick in consistency with a strawberry sweetness to it. There are floating chucks in the cider that explode with crunchy nutty flavor when he chews down on them. Frisk gulps down the cider hungrily, and his stomach thanks him for the welcome treat after the candy bombs.

"Now that's more like it." Frisk brings the doughnut to his mouth, when his eyes come across a second sign.

COME EAT FOOD MADE BY SPIDERS, FOR SPIDERS, BY SPIDERS - NO REFUNDS!

Frisk crunches down on the straw, almost breaking it with his teeth. He looks at the cider and doughnut like they are his own severed limbs in disgust. He quietly tucks the doughnut into his pocket and leaves the cider behind, hoping his stomach doesn't explode.

_Why can't any of the food down here just be normal?_ Frisk thought as he follows Toriel, as they make their way back to the courtyard. As they return, the change in perception continues.

Frisk remains uncomfortable with their curiosity, but reluctantly accepts this is not going to change and is the result of him being the only human in the Ruins. By now he discovers his own curiosity, wondering why the monsters admire and revere Toriel so much. In spite of her protests, they bow to her and formally greet her. Calling her Lady Toriel with the highest of esteems and prestige, they tell him he is fortunate to have her company with no egging from her. But the biggest surprise, are the scant few of them that back away to avoid her gaze and presence, intimidated by her. Also, despite the sheer variety of forms and shapes monsters possess; Toriel towers above all of them.

This treatment does not stop until they enter the corridors and leave the city behind them. Frisk never thought the dull and aged purple stone walls could alleviate him, but after so many eyes visually interrogating him, he is happy to be alone with Toriel. With no one to stand in their way, they reenter the Ruins and return to the courtyard where they reunited with each other.

There is a small stone fence with an ornate archway standing in the middle. While it still shows age, it is far better maintained and presentable than most of the ruins. There is another pillar of light descending from the surface, illuminating the courtyard in addition to Frisk's heart. To his relief, at the bottom is not a flower but a tall and mighty oak tree. Albeit one with all of its branches stripped bare.

"Come on in, my child. Let me welcome you to your new home." Frisk follows her inside her home, entering a foyer welcoming room with a stair case on the opposing side. Two hallways go off in both directions with a kitchen and living room on one side and bedrooms on the other. Despite being a monster, her house is like any other on the surface.

"Ahh. I love that old smell. No matter how many times, it never becomes new again. I am certain that you agree my child." Toriel says.

"Yeah, you're right." Frisk says, smelling the vacuous air.

"I shall prepare us dinner. Feel free to occupy yourself for the time being and I shall fetch you when-."

"Wait, you're going to cook?" Frisk's attention on her becomes razor sharp, eagerly awaiting her reply.

"Well, yes, my child."

"Can I help you? Pretty please?" Frisk's grin stretches from ear to ear as he slides his hands together in a pleading fashion, his eyes bursting with anticipation.

"My, my, you are quite eager about this, my child. But I am not too sure about this."

"Please, I promise I won't get in your way and I'll do whatever you say." Frisk begs as both his hands clasp together and he takes a knee before her. Toriel remains silent for a few moments, until she smiles.

"Very well, my child. Let me just ask you one question?" She reaches into the bag containing her groceries. "For no reason in particular, which do you prefer? Cinnamon or butterscotch?" She pulls out two separate small brown bags.

"Butterscotch!" He answers with words and a outstretched arms.

"A wise choice my child, now let us go. But remember— you will follow my instructions." Frisk takes her hand as they exit the foyer, but the staircase remains at the forefront of his attention.

"Where do those stairs go?" Frisk points to them.

"Merely a basement my child. That is all, nothing that should concern you." Toriel bends his hand down, steering him away from the stairs and into the living room. A large but comfortable room, one with a dining table and several seats, a big cushy chair set next to a fire place, and a book case filled to capacity. A mere diversion for now, as they enter the kitchen. It contains a fridge, sink, stove, and table for them to use; basic in its design but efficient in providing all they need.

"Since this will be your first meal in the Underground, I have something special planned for the two of us. I can only hope that it will be up to your fine tastes." Toriel removes assorted baking goods, ingredients, and snail shells.

"I can only hope so too." Despite his initial eagerness, Toriel takes the lead as he stands back to observe, something made easier by the smell and appearance of snails. All too happy to avoid assisting in their preparation and not looking forward to eating whatever she has in store for them.

"Do not worry, my child. The snails are more for me. I can see that they would not agree with you." She says looking down at his green face and forced grin.

"Thanks. I was more in the mood for fast food anyway." Frisk lets out a sigh of relief and Toriel laughs.

"Oh, that was a good one, my child. Here, what do you think about mine? There were two snails fighting over a shell. Why? Because they were slugging it out." Toriel lets out a chuckle, one which Frisk shares with her as best as he can. Frisk rises to the occasion as he pushes a stool at her side, more than familiar with them and the instruments.

"Oh, there you are, my child. Eager to bake, I see. Well first, we must-." To Toriel's surprise, Frisk acts ahead of her as he picks the correct mixing bowl from cabinet and clumsily pours in the baking mixture. He already knows the measurement of water to add in without having to read the box. Before he can go too far, Toriel shuts off the valve. "Quite the initiative you have there, my child."

"I've done this before; it's not my first time. It's easy when they tell you how on the back of the box."

"I can see that, but if all we did is follow the instructions, what we make will be like everything else. If we want it to be special, we have to know when to bend or break those instructions." She grabs the bowl from behind him and shows him the cake batter. It is thicker and richer, from not being watered down from excess water.

"And here I thought this was going to be a piece of Cake."

"Well my child, I will not lie, because you do have an eye for food, and I know that you cannot wait to have your pie-ce of it." She says while shooting winks at him.

_Okay got it, it's going to be a pie._

"I can only hope that I don't tie you down, perhaps you can lie down while you wait." Frisk sighs but keeps his smile up for her sake.

_Puns… Why did it have to be puns?_ From there the two of them work together on preparing the meal.

Frisk follows her steps and instruction as he assists her with the cooking and preparation. He batters the mixture, cuts the ingredients under her supervision, and even cooks them to some extent on her stove. At moments, they cannot help but play with their food; throwing a handful of flour or a spent ingredient at each other to share another laugh.

Toriel is always there to take control from him when she believes the risk is too high, but it's not as often as either one expects, as Frisk is somewhat competent. His technique is slow, steady, and clumsy at times. There are times when Frisk must stop her to ask a question, lacking her experience and expertise; but this is truly not his first time in the kitchen.

"Where did you study my child? You are far from a novice."

"I had to cook a lot for myself back at home. It was scary at first, but I could never stand street food. I tried it on my own and it wasn't easy at first, but the more I did it, the easier it got. I always followed the instructions, so that helped me a lot."

"Well, that is most impressive, my child." Frisk loses track of everything upon hearing those encouraging words, mainly the knife in his hands.

"Ow!" Frisk slices his finger, there is no severe damage but blood seeps through the scratch. Before he can do anything, Toriel turns him around takes his hands into her own.

"Oh, my goodness. Please show it to me right now." Frisk exposes his cut finger to her.

"Just a flesh wound, it doesn't even hurt anymore." Frisk says while restraining a groan. Toriel grasps his finger in her hands, a flash of green and the scratch disappears along with the pain.

"A flesh wound today, a paper cut tomorrow, and your head is off next week. You must be careful my child. There are some wounds even green magic cannot heal." Toriel finishes with a tender kiss to his finger. Frisk's heart flutters as he looks on at her, a piece of him green with envy.

"Thanks, how do you do that? That Magic stuff." Frisk asks, both curious and fascinated with wondrous stars in his eyes. "I don't think humans can do magic. I've never seen anyone do stuff like this."

"Nonsense, of course humans can do magic. Trust me, I know..." Her sweet voice trails away into a somber whisper, before regaining her confidence. "I suppose it has been a long while. It would be difficult for anyone to learn a craft without being aware of it."

"So... maybe there is no magic on the Surface?" Frisk twiddles his fingers to cast invisible nonexistent spells at the ground.

"Ridiculous, magic exists everywhere. All around us and within us, as long as the world is alive, there will be magic along with it. Ridding the world of magic, why, it would be like ridding the world of life itself." She says along with her outstretched arms, and Frisk wishes he could have her confidence.

"So maybe humans used to... but now we can't anymore...?" Frisk frowns as he casts his hands down in defeat, until Toriel squeezes his shoulder.

"Anyone can use magic, human or monster, so as long as you possess a soul. For that is the source of all magic." Frisk looks at his sweater covered chest and hears his pumping heart, knowing the mechanics of his body and seeing no place for magic and is unable to believe her words. And if no human in hundreds of years can figure it out, what chance does he have.

"I don't believe I can..."

"I believe you can, and I know you can my child." His face rises to face her.

"How can you be so sure?" She responds by playfully tickling his chest to make him laugh.

"Because you can laugh, you can cry, and I do not doubt that you can love, my child. I know this may sound strange, but that is all the proof of your soul." She says while Frisk sighs, feeling hope but reeling away in doubt.

"You make it sound so easy."

"I will confess, magic can be very picky, and there is much more to it than that. I look forward to teaching you, would you like that? I have always wanted to be a teacher in a school myself? To share my knowledge with eager and hungry young minds." She speaks in a spellbound loving trance, her hands folded over her blushing cheeks.

"Yeah... a teacher. That sounds great." Frisk says half-heartily, on one hand the appeal of learning magic is hard for him to resist, but the one thing that could destroy any sense of wonder and awe inside him would be attending school and teachers. He loosens his fists and holds back his scowl before he can reveal himself to Toriel. Hiding his bitter feelings in the rear of his mind, along with bitter memories.

"A matter for the future, now lettuce return to our preparations my child." Frisk tries his best to laugh, but can only manage so much.

They resume their work to complete the meal together, producing a wide arrangement of monster dishes but with some human food as well. Toriel takes complete control over the butterscotch pie's final preparations, even asking Frisk to leave the kitchen for a few minutes.

"I am sorry, my child. It is a secret recipe, and if I gave it away that easily it would not be secret anymore." Frisk takes her at her word and waits at the living room dining table. He passes the time by setting the table with plates, silverware, and takes a seat with a chocolate covered spoon to keep him company. His taste buds explode from the flavor as his tongue lavishes and worships the spoon. A piece of him could not have been any happier.

_This tastes so good. But I guess that means business has to come first. Gotta find a way out of here and to move on. Which means I have to get past… her._ Frisk sighs and casts his head down.

_She really wants this place to be my home; it's kind of annoying, to be honest. And I'll admit that things could be a lot worse. But Mom… I have to find a way to convince her to let me move on. I know it's risky, but I have to make her understand that I have to do this._ Frisk finishes the spoon, the sweet flavor fading away from his mouth.

_It's best I don't mention Mom to her. I don't want her to feel bad after helping me out so much._ _I guess she really is that nice… At least I hope._ As Frisk finishes his thoughts, Toriel arrives with the food. Filling the air with a delicious cacophony of smells, the dishes cover the table with a feast for his eyes to greedily devour, while his mouth leaks with anticipating drool.

Before Frisk can throw himself in the meal, Toriel holds him back by his collar. She gently sits down, deliberately keeping her elbows off the table, clasps her hands together and shoots a stern stare at him. Frisk gets the message and copies her motions as she smiles. With the formalities complete, they share their meal together.

Frisk could not have been anymore pleased. After monster candy and the spider food, to have a taste of a genuine home cooked meal is enough to bring back old memories; although greatly enhanced with Toriel's pleasant company. Most doubts he had about her disappear down his throat, digesting away inside his stomach to his satisfaction.

"So tell me my child, what happened to you after you and I became separate? I can only hope that your journey in the Ruins was not an unpleasant one." Cold sweat drips as his mind recounts his numerous encounters and falls.

"Oh yeah, everything was great. Sure that fall was out of nowhere and I know I messed up with Whimsun. But aside from that, no problems at all from start to finish." He lies while taking another bite, eating much faster and sloppier than Toriel does.

"That is wonderful to hear. I was worried some harm may have befallen upon thee. But I am glad you were able to find your way back to me. The Ruins are truly an expansive and magnificent place. One could spend weeks or months exploring its many secrets and wonders, and only find half of them. It is so easy to get lost in an adventure, but you would have nothing to worry about as there are no dangers in the Ruins." Toriel says wearing a confident smile on her face. "A splendid place to spend the years by."

"Well, I don't know if I would go that far. Some of the Monsters seemed... really weird with me. They all looked at me like I was an alien from outer space."

"They are merely not used to you my child. With me at your side, I shall guide you with every step you take and they will welcome you with open arms." She says with confident satisfaction in between her bites, whether due to the food or her words, Frisk couldn't tell.

"But what if they don't like me? What if they want me to leave?" Frisk says, not entirely upset at the prospect.

"They shall accept you, my child. After all, I enjoy your company, and I know they will as well, in time. Trust me, soon everything will be fine." Frisk's hand digs into his pocket, grasping the red hair ribbon. He does not want to doubt her, and he is mostly convinced of her good nature. But he could not bring himself to fully accept her into his trust yet, and the other monsters remain an even greater mystery.

_Yeah, in time..._

"Can I ask you a question, Miss Toriel? On the surface, Monsters... How do I put this? Whenever I see them. They're not... good. They were almost always the bad guys who hurt humans or took things from them." His words cause Toriel to sigh.

"Well I guess the more things change, the more they remain the same." She says, her voice turning sorrowful and tired.

"What does that mean?"

"A long time ago, when we still lived on the surface, the humans of that time feared us as well. There told many myths that monsters would steal children in the middle of the night, never to be seen again. All lies, my child. We monsters of the ruins only know love and mercy, and we would never harm you as long as you remain with us."

"Flowey didn't seem to agree." Frisk tires to covers his mouth, but is too late. Toriel stops her meal to rub her horns.

"I admit Flowey is a regrettable exception. I am so sorry that vile creature had to be the first you encountered. I should have been there sooner. But do not worry, all the monsters in the Ruins know not to trust Flowey. I made sure of that, personally." Her voice is harder than normal, for a moment she sounds like someone else, someone far meaner.

_Wow… and I thought I didn't like Flowey._ Frisk smiles at the mental image of Toriel incinerating Flowey with her magical flames.

"So as long as you stay in the Ruins, the monsters will help and protect you. Nothing like those monsters humans told you about."

"Actually that's the weird thing. The monsters in the stories. They're called zombies, vampires, Kaiju, or they're just giant animals. There's nothing like you up there. I don't think the Humans on the Surface even know about this place. I certainly didn't know till I got here."

"Umm... Interesting, I suppose it has been a long time since we walked on the Surface. To be forgotten, I never thought such a thing could be."

"So if it's been that long, maybe Humans and Monsters might not be able to be together. Maybe it would be better if I move-."

"Certainly not, I know it must feel intimidating my child. Being the only human in a world of monsters, frightening perhaps, but once you get used to things. I am confident you will call the Ruins home." Frisk's patience grows thin as Toriel continues to insist on keeping him here.

"But what if this place doesn't work out? Maybe there is a place somewhere else in the rest of the Underground-."

"No." Her hand tightens into a fist around her utensil. "Down here in the Ruins, you will have everything you need and want. And I will always be there for you. After all this is your new-."

"This is not my Home!" Frisk loses his nerve and regrets what he said the moment he reached the exclamation point. "Wait. I didn't mean to say it like that. It's just that... I know you're trying to be nice and all... But I have to find my real mo... home. And I can't do that down here."

"What is wrong my child? Please tell me what it is? I will do whatever I can to address it. Do you wish to have more surface light? I can create more openings in the ceiling. You can help me prepare every meal together if you so desire. Anything that will make this place better for you. Say it and I will make it so." She pleads and Frisk can no longer bring himself to look at her face.

"It's not that this place is not good enough, it's just not-."

"Can my home not be your home?" Her question leaves Frisk speechless, his mouth hangs open, but is unable to speak.

_No, I didn't want this to happen... I didn't want to make her sad again! But why do things have to be so difficult. Why do I have to stay here so much?! Why won't she let me go...? Wait a second. I don't have to go alone._

"I am sorry, my child. I should not have said that to you. Please accept my apologizes."

"Okay I will, but you know we... we could go together. I know the Ruins are nice, but maybe we could find something better out there? You and me?"

"I am sorry, but that is not possible." Toriel says.

"Why? What's wrong with the rest of the Underground? There shouldn't be any problems if the Monsters are all good. Why can't we go together?" It is Toriel's turn to be silent.

"I...I guess Home is where my heart is... and such fragile things are easy to break outside in the world. I apologize for disappointing you my child, but the ruins are my home & the Underground is not a place for innocent children such as you. I know what you said, but I am confident you can find what you seek here." Toriel says with a reassuring smile.

_I'm sorry... But my heart isn't here... She has it._ Frisk thought and hides his frown.

The rest of their meal continues in silence, the flavor diminished with the sour mood hanging over the table. Once they finish, they take the plates to her kitchen sink and store the leftovers inside her fridge. A warm and sweet smell hangs in the air, as the pie bakes in the oven, but is still not ready.

They depart back to the living where Toriel uses her fire magic to ignite a pile of wood in the fireplace. Bathing them in warmth and light to brighten the mood, and she breaks the awkward silence between them. "Would you like to hear a story my child?"

She runs to her bookcase to collect books and show them off. "I have many books here about many things. Such as "1001 Snail Facts", "Everything You Need to Know about Snails", and "The Mysteries of Magic and the Soul". Perhaps not that last one." Toriel sits in her cushion chair and Frisk joins her on the floor.

"Actually, do you have any stories about monsters? The stories about monsters from the surface are all always so scary and bad. I want to know what a real monster story is like." Frisk holds his head up with his hands and thrusts his legs into the air, eagerly awaiting what tale Toriel has to share with him.

"A true monster story." Toriel strokes her chin while pinching one of her horns. "Okay I believe that I have one for you my child. Let me begin."

_A long time ago, Humans and Monsters lived together in peace._

_There was a young monster girl who knew nothing but happiness in her home and love with her family and friends._

_She never knew a bad or sad day, until one day without warning; They came from the shadows._

_They took all things and everyone that night, knowing no mercy and showing all wrath._

_Her parents hide her in a safe spot and told her of a place to go to when it was all over. However, there was only enough space to save her._

_When They left, the young monster girl saw that she was all alone. She was filled with sadness as tears came across her face and her heart torn in two_

_She followed the advice of her parents, going to the place that was safe for monsters. As the world she knew turned upside down._

_They were everywhere and she knew not what to do in order to endure. All she knew was that she had no one and all she had was a fleeting hope of a place where she would know no harm._

_One day, her fortunate ran out as she was discovered and could not run. She was afraid that her days were gone and so she begged for mercy, and They refused to hear her._

_But then, a Hero arrived._

_The Hero was alone, smaller, and weaker than Them, but the hero was braver and was able to defeat them with cunning and determination._

_As They fled, the monster girl approached the hero to bestow her thanks. She was shocked to learn that he was a child and one of Them._

_She did not understand why he chose to save her, when she asked why; he said it was because he didn't want her to die._

_Even though he and she were different, he said that he had no one after losing his family and home after standing by and doing nothing._

_He refused to stand by and chose to save her._

_That was when she invited him to join her, so the two wouldn't be alone anymore. He accepted._

_The two of them traveled together, slept together, ate together, and told each other all their greatest secrets and their hopes and dreams._

_Her bad and sad days disappeared._

_The two of them found the safe place, a mountain that had stood from the beginning of the world._

_But They were there too._

_She knew the two could not enter the safe place without revealing it to Them. She did not know what to do, and then her hero turned into a villain._

_He revealed that all he said were lies and that he was a spy for the enemy and now he would tell Them about the safe place and defeat all monsters._

_Her heart broken, she used her magic to escape him and the villain that her best friend became._

_She ran away again, a pain greater than any ever before plagued her spirit. But when she was steps away from the safe place, she remembered their happy times together and she refused to give up._

_She returned outside and saw the truth. He was fighting the enemy alone. His attacks on her were false and he only wanted her to be safe while he would die alone._

_She refused to stand by and chose to save him._

_She joined the fight. Despite impossible odds, using her magic and his Determination the two of them were able to drive away the enemy away from the mountain._

_The two were both heroes._

_He was happy and sad to see her. She told him that he did not have to lie to protect her._

_He said that he was not lying. He was a spy, but he didn't expect that he would want to be friends with her._

_But he knew that no one would want or like him, because he was bad and she was good._

_She hugged him and said that he was her best friend and she wouldn't give him up for anything._

_The two of them reached the safe place. He stopped and asked her if the other monsters would accept him despite being one of Them._

_She said the monsters would, because she did and if she could, then so could anyone. And he said then that would be enough for him._

_They entered the kingdom hidden above the Mountain, human and monster, together as friends._

"Wow… That was a beautiful story. It was really sad but really happy at the same time." Frisk wipes a tear away from his face.

"I am glad that you enjoyed it my child." She steps to him to rub his head. "Now it is time for bed. You have had a long day and I certain that you need your rest."

Frisk opens his mouth to ask her countless questions, but conceits she has a point. So much has happened to him today, most of which he still finds hard to believe. He has experienced and learned more in one day, than most humans do in a lifetime. Perhaps he would go to sleep and wake up in his bed in the morning to discover this was all a dream. A bad ending to a good story he thought.

Toriel and Frisk leave the living room to enter the foyer, the staircase returning to his attention. Frisk side steps towards it. "Not that way my child."

His path is blocked by Toriel's hand while her other hand steers him towards the hallway. Frisk follows Toriel's as she takes him through a doorway and into a bedroom. It is a modest and small room, but one with all the necessities for a child. A bed to sleep in, a desk to work and draw on, a wardrobe for clothes, a chest filled with shoes and toys, and plenty of open space to move and play in.

Everything he could ask for and more.

Frisk adds his own shoes to the pile and gets into the bed and under the blankets. Toriel pulls them over his chest and pads him on the head in a nurturing manner. "There you are; all nice and comfortable, I hope?"

"Yeah, it is." Despite his weariness and exhaustion, a peak of curiosity arises that refuses to go away. "Can I ask one thing?"

"Of course, my child. What do you wish to know?" Toriel says with her shining and brilliant smile.

"What happened to the monster girl and the human boy?" Toriel remains silent for seconds, her eyes widens and smile falters, until she replies.

"They lived happily ever after. Now that's enough for today. Pleasant dreams and good nights. Tomorrow will be a big day for us. I will have a surprise waiting for you when you awaken my child." Frisk smiles as he buries himself within the blankets and his head into the pillow, all soft and warm but a distant second place to Toriel's own robes. Toriel closes the door, bathing the room in shadows as sleep creeps ever closer to taking him to dreamland.

_Gotta say, aside from Flowey, this day wasn't that bad. Monsters, Magic, Underground... Weird and different, but still nice. And Toriel really is the nicest one of them all._ Frisk thought with a flat face, unable to smile or frown.

Any doubt he might have had about Toriel's intentions is now firmly gone. She could have done anything to him if she really wanted to harm or capture him. Instead she continues to give him a kindness and care he never would have expected from any monster or even from most humans. While she seems intent on keeping him in the Ruins, he no longer believes she would ever harm him.

But his desire to stay in the Ruins for the rest of his life remains at zero. Even if Toriel is on his side, he remains weary of monsterkind. Ignoring them, Flowey is somewhere out there, and Frisk wants to put an entire world between him and it as soon as possible. He blots these concerns to sleep, but the task seems impossible. Like a persistent weed, growing and multiplying inside his mind and refusing to be yanked away no matter how hard he pulls.

In the end, as content as he is and as hard Toriel has worked to make him happy. Frisk knows he must resume his journey to the Surface.

_I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I don't want to hurt you. But I can't forget. And I can't stop. I have my own story and it can't stop here. Isn't that right, Mom?_ With his mind set, Frisk gives himself up to the spell of the sandman and nestles in for the night to rest for the long day ahead tomorrow.

Meanwhile, outside his door, Toriel remains where she stands.

"Yes, a happy story… with a sad ending. So many sad endings…" Toriel whispers under her breath in case Frisk is awake. "But not this time. It will not happen again. This one will have a happy ending. No matter what." Toriel leaves to make preparations for the following day.


	5. Chapter 5: Heartbreak

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 5

* * *

"Ah! Alright, I'm up. Why do I feel so tired?" Despite awakening from a restful slumber, his drowsy and sluggish body begs to differ. Frisk rises from bed, short on breath and lacking any coordination in his movements; as if his nap never happened. The bed may as well have been a cloud from the heavens with a human magnet sewn into it. The attraction is difficult to resist, but his alien surroundings steal his attention.

"Oh yeah… I'm trapped in an underground filled with magical monsters, talking rocks, and killer flowers." Frisk pinches himself before throwing himself back down the pillow.

"Maybe if I try hard enough, I really will wake up and this is just some crazy dream." Frisk rests his head on the pillow, ready to answer the call of the sandman until a stronger siren call reaches his ears.

_No. If this was a dream… then I could just stop here and everything would be fine. But it's not. Still need to find mom._ Frisk's thoughts turn to Toriel.

_But she won't let me, no matter what I say or do. I have to get past her, without her knowing. It's the only way now… I'm sorry Miss Toriel. But you don't understand._ Frisk sighs as the hops off the bed, gathering his possessions and shoes, including the stick.

_The Ruins might be nice, but who knows what I'll find outside. But it doesn't matter, I've made it this far and I'm not going to stop now. I'll find the way out of this place, and it won't be the last thing I do_. Frisk raises his fist to the surface, as if he could punch his way back to the surface with a smile on his face.

As Frisk moves to the exit, his toe hits something metallic and hard. On the floor there is a large empty metal pie plate with leftover crumbs stuck to the bottom. Frisk scratches his head in confusion.

_Where did you come from?_ He thought about the plate. _Did I eat something here? Wait! Was she watching me while I was sleeping!? Oh, please don't let it be that last one. Don't get creepy on me now._

Frisk casts the thought away and opens the door, as slowly as possible in order to limit the noise. An impossible task, as the hinges have seemingly not been lubricated in years. They produce a screeching sound that scratches his ears and plagues his mind with worries that his position has been revealed to Toriel's oversized ears. Frisk grits his teeth and powers through his doubts and the grating noise.

_Just be a Ninja. Do what ninjas would do._ He opens the door just wide enough for him to slide through the side and hug the wall. He closes the chatty door before his doubts can become a reality. Fortunately, night comes for the Underground as well as the Surface. The hallway is empty, sitting in silent shadows.

Frisk slides across the wall, pacing each foot to cover as much distance while causing as little noise as possible. His actions have attracted no attention yet, and he plans to keep it that way. He reaches the end of the hallway, and his luck continues as there is no one coming down the hallway in pursuit or anyone waiting for him in the foyer with the staircase.

_She didn't want me to go down there. And the Ruins don't seem to go beyond this place..._ _It has to be the rest of the Underground._ Frisk is about to run, when the human hair ribbon in his pocket returns to his mind. He gazes down the staircase, a dark descent into the great unknown beyond the Ruins. The only certainly is that it will take him far and away from the relative safety of Home, and all it has to offer.

Frisk gulps, finding his feet sliding away from the steps on instinct. _No; can't give up that easily. C'mon Frisk you made it to Ebbott, climbed that big scary mountain, and made it this far. You can do this and handle anything the Underground will throw at you._ Frisk thought trembling in place, trying his best not to think about how he was overpowered by a house plant.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Despite all his dread and fears, Frisk finds the will to stomp his foot forward onto the first step. Frisk makes the descent, the darkness growing and surrounding him with every step. But as the light fades, his resolve grows, and every step becomes easier than the last. He makes it to the bottom, overtaken by relief as a bright red and orange light illuminates the area.

"Finally made it." Frisk thrusts both his arms into the air in a celebratory gesture.

"I can see that, my child." Frisk falls to the ground as Toriel's words hit him like a speeding car with broken brakes on a highway. He lifts himself to find Toriel standing over him with a ball of fire in her hand. She stares at him like his hand is caught in the cookie jar and her credit card is in his other hand. Cold sweat collects behind his neck as Frisk nervously gets back to his feet.

"Oh...Hi, Miss Toriel. I was just... just looking for the bathroom. Yeah that's it... I gu-guess... I got..." His heart sinks under the heavy weight of guilt; his resolve plummets as Toriel's frown burns into his mind. Her face is a mixture of disappointment, sadness, and a hint of frustration that burrows into him with no way to escape her penetrating gaze. Frisk would gladly take the endless eyes from the Ruins and their curiosity than endure one second of Toriel's somber stare.

Frisk lowers his arms in defeat, sighing as he casts his gaze to the ground to avoid her stare. "So… what happens now?"

"Oh, nothing, my child. Do not worry your precious little head; there is nothing for you to be concerned about." Frisk raises his head in surprise with stunned eyes.

"Really?" Toriel tenderly pads his head with a smiling face.

"Of course, now return to the upper floor to wait for me. There is something that I must do." Toriel casts her back to him and walks down the corridor, flame in hand. With the staircase behind and Toriel in front of him, a sneaking and creeping sensation crawls up his back. A feeling that grows the further Toriel gets away from him.

_Is she going to do what I think she's doing...? Would she really go that far to keep me here_? Frisk takes a moment to reflect back on all he has experienced with Toriel thus far. _Yes, she would!_ Frisk follows her down the corridor, and it does not take long for him to catch up to her.

"Miss Toriel… What are you doing?" She remains silent for a few moments until speaking.

"So you truly do wish to know how to return home, do you not? Ahead of us lies the end of the Ruins. A one way exit to the remainder of the Underground, I am going to destroy it. No one will leave the Ruins ever again." Toriel says, not even turning around to face him.

"Oh, is that all? Well, go ahead and do... Wait! What!? No; you can't do that!"

"And why not?" Frisk frantically searches for any answer he could give in order to reach the exit.

"The other Monsters! They might want to leave one day. You can't trap all of them behind in the Ruins!"

"They have all lived here for centuries, my child. They could have left at any moment, and I would have allowed it. Yet they chose to stay here and call the Ruins their home. It is a choice they made now and many years ago when the others moved on. None of them will mind if I do this."

"Then why me!? What makes me so special?" Frisk asks in growing desperation.

"Because you are Human. Now be a good child and go back to Home and wait for me." Toriel resumes her march, her pace now outmatching his own. He speeds up to catch up and to stay besides her.

"At least tell me why? Why is it so important that I have to stay here?!" Toriel stops, uttering a loud and elongated sigh.

"Fine. You wish to know. I did not want to burden you with this knowledge. I wanted you to be happy. But since you are so persistent, allow me to tell you another story, a sad story. The Story of the Fallen Humans." Frisk stops in his tracks, not expecting her to confirm the existence of other humans.

"There were six of them, all of them children. They all fell for different reasons, each with their own hopes and dreams. They were each offered a place of sanctuary and safety, from which they could grow in peace and know only love. Yet they all met the same fate. They Come. They Go… They Die!" She takes a pause full of pain.

"It happened every time, and it cannot happen again. If it does then you will be the last human to fall down here. And I cannot permit that to pass." To his surprise, Toriel turns around to meet his eyes with her powerful gaze.

"You naïve child. If you leave the Ruins... They... Asgore... will kill you." Her voice is hard and blunt, eliminating all doubt; and it does not stop there. "Now do you understand? Everything that I have done has been to protect you. Now please, let me do this." Toriel turns away and marches down the corridor, leaving Frisk alone in dread.

_Kill...Kill Me! So they really did kill Humans! And they want to kill me too! They really are just like Flowey!_ Her words are almost enough to send Frisk fleeing back his to his room and hide under his bed. Anxiety and fear grip his mind like a tight fist, as countless horrors and monsters assault his mind and senses, leaving him paralyzed.

A piece of him tells him to listen to her and leave Toriel alone, but it is not enough to stop him. As Toriel's increasing distance and speed breaks his trance and he pursues her. It is not easy as every step come with tremendous strain and struggle. His body grows heavy and his steps slow, like someone is standing in his way and pushes back against him with all their might.

Despite it all, Frisk manages to catch up to Toriel once again. "But you said Monsters were good and nice. And now you're saying they'll kill me?!"

"The Monsters of the Ruins and I came to an agreement long ago. I cannot say the same thing for those outside, but believe me when I say they will try to kill you. I apologize for lying to you my child, but I will do what I must for your own good. The Ruins are the only place in the whole Underground where you will be safe." She stops to face him one last time. "So do not try to stop me. This is your final warning."

Her voice nearly throws Frisk back down the corridor, stern as a cannon and sharp as a blade. He could not breathe or move, as an invisible and indestructible wall stands in front of him: the point of no return. Knowing that even if he passes, he will have face her and go on to face whatever unknown horrors waiting for him outside.

One thing he knows for certain, a flower will be among their number.

_Mom..._ He thought. _What would you have done? I know you wouldn't run! Fighting her would be wrong, but I don't have any other choice. And what- am I supposed to fight every monster out there? That's insane! What do I do? What do I do...? I have to do something. I can't stop now! I have to get past her, whether she likes it or not._ Frisk casts off all mental blockages & emotional baggage slowing him down. He moves forward, but far from ready to face whatever Toriel has in store for him.

They arrive at another stone doorway, there are three triangles and a delta rune symbol engraved upon it. It is unlocked. No puzzles to solve, no keys to find, only a monster with fire in her hand standing in his way.

"You want to leave so badly. You are just like the others. You leave me with only one solution to this problem." Frisk stands at attention with the Monster in front of him. Their silence lasts a moment, but remains unbearable to him. He dreads what she will say to him, he feels so fragile, as if one word is all it will take to break him.

"Prove yourself. Prove to me that you are strong enough to survive." Frisk ducks to the ground, the fire ball from her hand soaring above his head.

_Oh my gosh! She's actually fighting me!_ Before reality can sink in, Frisk rolls to the side to evade another fire blast that hits his location. Frisk grabs the wall, gasping for breath as his heart races. Before he can collect himself, he throws himself forward to avoid another blast of fire.

"No, please! I don't want to fight you! Please don't do this to me." Frisk pleads, but his words fail as small balls of fire materialize within her hands.

They shine in the darkness like stars, pushing the shadows away with flashes of vibrant oranges and reds. When she tosses them, they soar through the air like glaring rockets, albeit moving at a fraction of their power and speed. Despite their visual beauty, Frisk stays light on his toes to avoid their collisions. An action which turns out easier than expected, dodging their astonishing arcs with effective ease thanks to his evasive movements.

"This fight does have to be my child, please return Home and I will stop." The monster demands and manifests larger balls of fire in her hands, before tossing them down the corridor. Their long tails illuminate the corridor like two soaring comets in the night sky. They collide & roll across the ground, their tails continue to burn, leaving behind two lines of fire which separates Frisk from the walls. Their flames and intense heat trap him in the dead center.

"I don't want to fight you. Please let me pass!" Frisk begs.

There is nowhere to avoid her next attack. Too far to one side and Frisk risks setting himself on fire. The Monster stands defiantly in front of him with newfound flames in her hand, while the exit behind him remains empty.

"I am sorry, child. But if you wish to pass me so badly, you must attack or go back upstairs." Toriel says.

"I can't!" Despite every instinct and impulse shouting at him to run away and that he cannot defeat her, Frisk stands his ground.

"Please forgive me." The Monster launches the ball of fire, with nowhere to go Frisk awaits the inevitable. The ball of fire collides on the ground a few feet in front of him. While the ground absorbs the full impact of the collision, Frisk does not emerge unharmed. The force of the blast and residual heat throws Frisk back, lightly harming his composure and constitution.

The Monster repeats the process several times over. They force Frisk back more and more with each successive blast, leaving his sweater covered in a dark shade of black burnt dust. While she has yet to land a direct strike, the mounting blasts and exhaustion from his evasion extract a cost no less great. By now the act of standing is an intense struggle and the onslaught only ends when Frisk falls to his knees.

_I can't beat her… She's too powerful! She won't listen to me. And I guess talking isn't the solution here. I have to do something to get past her. She's not giving me any choice… I don't want to do this but I have to do something!_ Frisk pulls out a plastic toy knife hidden within his sleeve.

"Huh!?" Frisk double checks his hand, finding the wooden stick he picked up in the Ruins.

He did not have time to think, as the monster launches another assault of fire attacks that slam the walls around him. The sound from their thunderous crashes rings in his ears and their flames trap him in a bubble of great heat, assaulting and surrounding him from all directions. Frisk nearly breaks his stick to shield his ears, but the effort is fruitless and he collapses onto the ground.

To his relief, Toriel ceases her attack but he cannot help but wonder why they must fight at all. _Why is she doing this? She says she wants to protect me... And I believe what she says about outside... But why do any of this? Why is she so desperate! Why not just let me go?!_

"I understand that this place is still new to you, and that monsters can be strange and frightening for you. But can this place not be your home? Can we not be your family as much as they can? Why is it so important that you must leave us?" Frisk crawls to his feet, struggling through the weight of her words as a piece of himself holds him down.

He tightens his grip on the stick, ready to fight back _. I'm sorry for this, but I got no choice. Forgive me._

"Do you really hate me that much?" Toriel asks, her voice broken in a hundred pieces. Bringing the world and time to standstill, as Frisk cannot believe what he heard.

"Hate you? No. No. I... I could never hate... you." He looks up at her and within this moment, all things become clear to Frisk.

The broken, stern look on her face, the way her lips quiver her eyes barely able to contain her tears as they beg and plead for this to stop. A connection forms between their eyes, one which Frisk cannot bear to break.

When he does, the picture becomes clearer. The stone walls & floor are scorched and damaged from her attacks, while he is mostly unharmed. While exhausted and beaten down, he knows how capable and powerful she can be thanks to Flowey. As these feelings of shared pain and anguish connect them together, he no longer knows where hers begin and where his ends.

_I did it again... No. Not again! Mom what would you... Wait, I know what Mom would do._ Frisk walks towards Toriel, his gaze locks upon her.

"What are you doing? What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?" Toriel launches another salvo of fire attacks at Frisk. They all miss him, either swinging around him or hitting the corridor. Her attacks do not stop, but Frisk remains undeterred as he walks closer to her. He stops a yard in front of her, since the heat makes it too unbearable to come any closer.

"Why are you making this so difficult? What are you trying to prove?! Fight me or Leave!" She continues to attack, but it has become painfully evident all her attacks are faux, as they circle around him by a wide berth. But it makes little true difference for Frisk, since these flames are nowhere near as damaging as her other attacks.

Her eyes are full of sorrow and pain, tears stream across her somber face. Despite not launching a single attack, Frisk can see this fight is hurting her far more then it hurts him; although the gap between them is closing. Her painful struggle brings tears to his eyes and tears in his heart; such a beautiful face should never look this sad. It would be so easy to look away and spare himself more pain, but Frisk knows he must continue as he patiently waits for her.

"Please stop looking at me like that. Just fight or go away!" Toriel assembles one final burst of fire in her hands, one that overshadows the rest of her attacks by a considerable margin. She channels them into one single massive burst: her final attack.

"I will not say it again. Please stop this." Frisk nearly does, but holds his ground. Toriel throws the fire attack at him, burrowing towards him like a burning and blinding star. Frisk is forced to use his sleeve to protect his eyes, as the fire gets closer and closer to him. Once it arrives within mere inches, Frisk shuts his eyes as the light blinds and heat stings him. Yet there is no burning, no need to stop drop and roll, and no pain.

Frisk opens his eyes, finding Toriel's outstretched arm directed towards him and cyan bubble surrounding him. Trapped, Frisk studies the scene. Staring in awe as he stands inside a literal inferno, protected by the bubble, the flames surround the bubble and give him a dazzling show of flashing reds and oranges. Like he is a yolk inside an egg and surrounded by a shell of flames. He notices how the bubble responds to Toriel's hand movements, as she makes a bubble with her fingers, confirming she is the not so surprising source of his salvation.

However all of that is insignificant when compared to the look of utter defeat and despair on her face, one which spreads to Frisk's face. Eventually, the flames reach their end and dissipate back into oblivion, along with the cyan bubble as Toriel lowers her hand and ceases her attack. Frisk breathes a sigh of relief and completes his approach towards Toriel, while she falls onto her knees and sits at his mercy.

"Fine, go ahead. Do what you must to prove that you can survive." Frisk stands before her, looking down at the monster who tried to trap him in the Ruins and the mother who tried to take care of him.

He takes his arms and wraps them around to embrace her in a tender hug, shocking Toriel and a piece of himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't know that I was. I didn't realize that you cared. I'm sorry I made you cry. I'm sorry I made you do this. I'm sorry for everything. So let's stop fighting, please." Frisk wraps himself tightly around Toriel. He resists the urge to bury himself within her robes to comfort her, for as long as she needs him. This continues until her arms wrap around him to complete their hug.

"I know that we do not have much. I know this is not the surface and that you want to go home. But please- I promise to take good care of you here. We can have a good life together. Tell me what I'm doing wrong and I will fix it. Just please… don't leave me." Frisk breaks the hug to make enough space to stare into her tear filled eyes.

"You've done nothing wrong. You protected me... You kept me safe & warm... You let me cook and eat with you... and you told me a great story. You're the nicest, kindest, & friendliest person I've ever met. Any kid would be the luckiest in the world to have you for a mom. So don't you see the problem?" He releases the hug just long enough to grab his chest and sell his point.

"It's not you, it's me. I wish what I was looking for was here with you. But it's not here, it's out there. That's why I have to go. You wouldn't be happy with me the way I am now. I know it. And if I stay here, then I'll always be like this. And I don't want to hurt you ever again Mom. That's why you have to let me go." Silence hangs between them until Toriel shatters it.

"Ha. Ha. Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child." Frisk opens his mouth to speak, but she covers it with her hand. "No, I understand now my child. You would be unhappy trapped down here. The Ruins can be very small once you get used to them. You would not be able to grow up in such a place like this. You need to find your own path and answers." Toriel stands to open the door.

"My expectations... My loneliness... My Fears. For you, my child, I will put them aside." The door opens and Toriel removes herself from his way. "If you truly wish to leave the Ruins. I will not stop you. However, when you leave… please, do not come back. I hope you can understand." Frisk silently agrees & casts his head to the side, no longer able to bear her sadness.

"Listen, Miss Tori-." Another hug from Toriel silences Frisk. This time he does not stop himself from seizing the moment and her. He treasures the feel of Toriel's presence from her soft touch and sweet smell for as long as he can.

"Goodbye, my child." Their hug is broken as Toriel stands to walks away, this simple action and exchange causes him more pain than any attack of fire ever could.

"Please, be good." Toriel exits, leaving Frisk alone, his heart breaking into countless pieces.

One is already running back to hug her and promising to never leave.

Another has long left the Ruins to face whatever unknown threats on the outside.

One final piece remains to see what he will do next.

Frisk continues to stand and stare at Toriel as she walks away, treasuring and holding every micro-second until she disappears. "I promise I will be." He leaves the Ruins through the exit.

The exit takes Frisk into a long dark stone corridor. The space grows increasingly cold as he makes his way. Like the air itself is telling him to return to the warmth and security of Home. Nevertheless, Frisk marches on until he enters another dark room with a pillar of light shining down from the surface.

"I'm sorry Miss Toriel. I wish I didn't have to hurt you. Man Mom why do you gotta make things so hard…!" Frisk trips to the ground, his face lands head first onto a patch of grass, which provides him with a welcoming cushion.

"What the heck? Where did you... come... from!" Frisk freezes solid, terror and shock consumes his face as he realizes the source of his trip: A green vine.

"Hey Kiddo! Are you still going on about your mommy? Don't tell me you forgot your best friend?"


	6. Chapter 6: The Virtue of Patience

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 6

Art Cover created by Kiralushia

* * *

Toriel enters Home. Her face is sunken with sorrow, her steps aimless and slow as she shambles across the living room. She is drained of color and cheer, like someone who has not known joy in years. Her spirit and body are at odds with each other, the former so empty she feels gone and the latter so heavy she could barely stand. The contradiction leaves her mind in turmoil as she sits in her rocking chair, leaning forward to bury her face within her hands.

"Please. Let the child live. Just this once, that's all I ask for. Nothing else, I will never demand anything ever again. Please just… just let him live." Toriel pleads as her voice trails into the silent emptiness of her home.

She rubs her horns to ease herself to no avail. Instead, knowing what lies outside the safety of the Ruins, anxiety swells within her. Helpless against the unrelenting scenarios that all end in the same way: The death of another child she could not save. "Oh, who am I am even speaking to anymore? There is no one left!"

Toriel leaps from the chair so forcibly the chair almost throws itself onto the floor. She stomps to the table to pick a table piece to throw against the wall, where it shatters into pieces. It could not stop the tide of growing frustration within her.

"This house… there's no purpose for it anymore!" She goes to the bookcase and grabs book after book to throw to the ground. When that fails to satisfy her, she grabs an entire shelf of books and tosses all of them to the ground.

"What good is a home if there is no one to live in it!?" Toriel repeats the process until all of her books lie scattered across the ground. "No children! No family! No one at all! Just… all alone." Her words leave her bewildered, as a whirlwind of bitter feelings fester within her. Like a poison she needs to remove, she searches for the next item to destroy like it would produce a cure.

"Any home that cannot protect its family is a failure! It does not deserve to be clean or happy! I will not allow- Oof!" Toriel trips, yet she cannot rise as the burden of truth become unbearable and undeniable. Toriel goes to her knees and gives up on holding back her tears, but they do not ease the pain that assaults her soul.

"Yes. A failure… That is all that I am… Nothing else at all… Just a fail-!" Her words end in a gasp with the glance of an item upon the ground. The mere appearance of the item gives her a weak smile; her concerns banished for the briefest of moments. She tenderly picks the item and tenderly embraces it.

"There, there, my child. You seemed to have caught me in a sour mood. I am sorry you had to see me like this. But do worry, I have not forgotten you. How could I?" Toriel pads the item into a loving cuddle against her face.

"I could never forget you…"

Many Years Ago

"Well my precious sapling you look spry and healthy today." Toriel pours water over a small sapling. The tree is young, reaching a few feet in the air and sprouting even fewer leaves from its tiny branches. Normally plants cannot survive in the darkness of the Ruins, but a ceiling hole unleashes a pillar of light to bath the sapling in the sun's warmth.

"I can see that you are coming along quite well. Keep it up and one day I am certain that you will grow up into a strong and mighty oak." She says with a bright and tender smile to the sapling, as her effort to keep it alive has become a welcome part of her daily routine.

"Let me see, what else must I do again…?" Toriel falls into deep thought, before pulling her voice down. "Well, Tori, when we speak to the plants, we let them know them know there is a friend waiting for them. And they rise to the occasion to meet us, so chat with them as much as you can," She says in her best impression and makes herself laugh.

"Haha. Well, my precious little sapling, you are certainly pleasant company. I did not expect to ever call Home… home, again. Ahh… Why didn't I do more to change that name? I suppose it makes little difference now. I hope you enjoy your time with me and I will do my best to take good care of you," Toriel says to the tree. Despite the silence, the cute sapling is enough to sustain her smile before it dwindles.

"I understand why you'd enjoyed this so much Asgore." Toriel grows somber as she reflects on her past. On days filled with love and the sounds of childish laughter, the days before it all turned to sadness & silence, and despite her best effort, madness prevailed. She casts her thoughts away, knowing that dwelling on such matters will drive her mad. She recovers the pail and readies to leave.

"Well, I shall return tomorrow, and we can-" Toriel's trek comes to a sudden end, as countless cries of distress drown out her voice.

"AHH! Run away! They're gonna kill us!"

"Tomms! Where is Tomms?! I can't find him!"

"Get away! We have to escape! Before it's too late!"

Toriel faces her gateway where a stampede of monsters emerges from the Ruins, all fleeing in a blind panic. She rushes to investigate and discover what is causing this terror. "You there! What is going on? Please tell me."

A monster stops to address Toriel with newfound hope on his face to find a Boss Monster. "Oh, Lady Toriel, it's awful! A couple of kids were playing at the balcony when… when… I still can't believe this is really happening. It can't be happening… This has to be a nightmare!"

Toriel calms the monster by bringing her hand to the panicking monster's shoulder. "I know you are afraid, but I need you to explain what is happening. Then you can leave. You need not worry; I can handle it."

Her words grant him the strength to speak, but his fear remains intact. "It's… it's them Lady Toriel. They've returned! A Human! They've already killed some of us. I don't know what you got planned, but I'm getting out of here now!"

"A human!" Toriel is shaken to her core, motionless as the stampede charges in front of her.

_Another human… And so soon after you my child… Are they truly foe, or…? I must act now!_ With a heavy gulp, she turns against the tide and runs opposite of the stampede towards the source of the commotion. She runs through corridor and chamber of the Ruins, following the dwindling number and cries of the monsters.

Along the way, she encounters monsters fleeing in peril or too terrorized to move, some remain to help those in distress, and a few stand defiant to defend their home. Toriel wishes she could help all of them in one way or another, but knows the best way to help every monster is to pacify this human.

As she nears the former entrance to the Ruins from the Surface, Toriel cannot stop her hesitation taking hold of her. She doesn't know what she will find on the other side of this doorway, all she knows is this human has already killed. Despite the weight of those concerns, she does not allow them to detour her pursuit as she arrives at the staircase entrance overlooking the mouth of the Ruins. She summons flames to banish the darkness, and contains a gasp with her hand.

"Mrs. Norris! Mr. Hardy! Where are you?! I don't want to be in this place! Please save me!" says a human girl, cowering in a fetal position. She appears like a small shaking dot in the center of the stone foyer, filled with the echo of her whimpering cries. The sight leaves Toriel stunned at the balcony's top, gazing at the girl with a needle in her heart.

Tears stream down the girl's pale as chalk face, past her baby blue eyes and lavish long black hair tied by a red hair ribbon. Her hair falls onto her eloquent blue sun dress that covers her from head to knees, ending in white stockings and black formal dress shoes. What sticks out is how young the girl is, with her small size and face plump with baby fat.

_My goodness; she is a human, a child, as well! She must be so frightened and alone, such as you were... my child._ Toriel's mind wanders, recalling a sight and scenario quite familiar to this one. Amidst her reminiscing, a flash of green and yellow stripe comes across the strange girl's attire. It brings a bold look to Toriel's face. _She will need me. I must help her!_

With her mind set, Toriel descends the staircase towards the girl. The approach of the flame's light alerts the girl to Toriel's presence. With stunned eyes, she raises to face Toriel along with her arms, thrusting something Toriel could not make out in the darkness.

"You! No! Not another one! You stay away from me! You better not hurt me if you know what's good for you!" The monster demands with a voice on the verge of shattering. Toriel reluctantly deafens herself to continue her approach, and the girl slides away from her in panic.

"Please, you need not fear me child. I understand you must be incredibly afraid. You no doubt have many questions stirring around in your head. Well fret not, I am here with answers and I mean you no... No-! ...No harm!" Toriel is shocked by the sight, rubbing her eyes to remove what she hopes to be lies, and instead discovers the painful truth.

Streams of deathly grey dust upon the ground and a knife in the human's hands aimed at her.

_You... You killed them... Why would you do this!?_

A burning chill spreads across Toriel. As realization bites into her, flashes of anger, dread, and uncertainty rise and fall within her like tidal waves. She drops mental anchors to restrain herself, composing herself with a constant heavy breath. She returns her attention to the child, expecting the worst, and finds her breath stolen away.

She sees not a murderer, but a lost child, terrified beyond recognition.

_Calm down. You must do this for your sake as well as her. She must be pacified, lest she harm another or herself. Come on, I have done this before, I can do it again._ Toriel thought with a heavy gulp, as this did not happen the last time. She casts those concerns into the past where they belong, to deal with this girl in the present and the future they must now share together. She regains her strength, but does not show it, lest she give the girl an invitation to strike her down.

_No one knows humans better than you do. You can do this._ Toriel conceals her fear with a warm smile and relaxed stance, blocking out the murder scene to the best of her ability. She towers over the girl with her impressive stature and increases the flames to banish darkness. Allowing the both of them to view each other with clarity for the first time.

"'Not hurt me'?! You expect me to believe that?! What are you anyway, some kind of evil goat person thing?! You brought me here to eat me, didn't you?!" The monster asks as the knife shakes in her hands.

"No, that's not true. I know we look strange and different, but that is because we are monsters. I know that word may not bring you much comfort, but we are kind and magical creatures; you can trust us not to harm you," Toriel says to calm the panicking girl.

"Ah, I understand now! You kidnapped me! You want my parent's money, don't you?! Well, we have lots of money, so you better give me back to them or they'll make you pay!" The Monster shouts as she leaps to the next conclusion and brings a sigh to Toriel.

"We did not kidnap you. We have no idea who your parents are or who you are. I assure you, we have no interest in your money. This is the Underground. Human money has no value down here and we have little use for money anyway. We monsters use magic in our lives."

"Magic! Magic is real! So you put a magical spell on me to lure me down here! You want to keep me trapped down here like all bad children! I'm not bad! Just let me go back home and my family will give you all the money you want and-!"

"Enough!" Toriel stomps on the ground to make her point clear and silences the girl. "Magic does not work that way. We use magic to bring about the impossible and to help others; it is an extension of our souls. You cannot use magic in such a callous way!" Toriel says in a half truth and half life, knowing once someone enters the Underground, they cannot leave thanks to magic.

This now includes this frightened human girl with a knife in her hands.

"My apologies, I did not mean to lose myself. Allow me to go back to the beginning." Toriel regains her composure and smile. "My name is Toriel and I am the caretaker of the Ruins. I came here to learn what happened and to provide whatever help I can give. If you wish it, I can help you as well, Miss… What is your name?"

After a few frightened moments of silence, she replies in a stutter. "Lily, of the Weston family. Please, if you want to help me, you have to return me back to them before it's too late! If you do it, my family will treat you like a queen. Even a goat person like you. But if you don't, the police will find us and put you away in prison forever!" She says in growing urgency, desperation drips from her tongue.

Toriel does not want to smirk, but she does not know which option makes her laugh more. Her levity lasts a moment as reality sinks in and sadness takes hold of her. Lily is desperate to return to her home and family, ignorant of the fact that such a thing can never happen. It reminds Toriel of herself and another now gone.

_Better she not knows the truth, lest her anger be unleashed on us all. For now, she is going to need me, as you did my child. The two of us together_. The thought restores Toriel's smile and warmth in her soul she thought long extinguished.

"My child." Toriel says and comes closer, leaving Lily visibly irked. "I apologize, but I cannot do that. I know how troubling this must be to hear, but you must remain here with me in the Ruins." She says with caution and a growing eagerness.

"What!? No, I don't want to stay down here! And that's close enough!" The monster demands with awkward jabs of her knife as Toriel enters the edge of her personal space.

"I understand my child. The Underground can be a very dark and lonely place, very cold & quiet; it will drive you mad if you stay alone. But I am confident that between the two of us, we can make it a home together." Toriel says in anticipation.

"But I don't want to be alone down here. I need to get back to my family! We're running out of time! Please listen to me!" She pleads with a tear-filled face.

"I can see you greatly miss your family. The happiness and joy you brought each other, the trials and tests that made your bonds stronger, and the experiences you've crafted together. It must be an awful pain to lose them, like a hole that can never be filled." Toriel's mind sees two other children besides Lily, one human and one monster.

"Trust me when I say that I know how you feel, my child. I also wish to return to my family and home when I lost them. But believe me when I say that things do not have to be like this. We can be happy together; I know we can." Toriel opens her arms for a hug.

The Monster hesitates for a few moments, in deep contemplation, until Toriel finds uncertain eyes staring back at her. "No, I don't want this! I don't want you!" She thrusts her arms and knife towards Toriel.

Despite the shock, Toriel does not stop her. _Very well, if this is what pleases you, my child._

Toriel closes her eyes and waits for the end. To her surprise, there is no pain and no intent to harm. She opens her eyes to find the tip of the plastic blade bending away from where it makes contact on her torso. It brings a smile to her face as any dread within her disappears, along with Lily's fighting spirit as she drops the plastic toy knife.

"Okay. Do whatever you want." Lily says as she cowers and shields her face.

"Whatever I want, if you insist." Knowing from past experience, Toriel sits on her knees before Lily. "Since you are not ready now, we shall wait here until you are comfortable. Until then, I give you my word that I shall protect you and keep you far from harm."

The words leave Lily silent and still as she takes a fetal position. Despite Toriel's promise, Lily remains committed to keeping a fearful frown on her face, shrinking away from her like a chick hiding inside their egg. Regardless, Toriel holds her ground with a gentle inviting smile. Their standoff becomes a staring game with no end in sight, both calm and defiant in their shared silence.

Several Hours Later

_Goodness, you really are something, aren't you my child._ Toriel thought, since she didn't expect the game to last this long. They continue to sit in still silence, doing little since Lily shot down every attempt Toriel made to connect with her. Yet even as seconds become minutes and minutes turn into hours, and this game transforms into an endurance test; Toriel never leaves nor removes her sight from the young girl. Lily mimics her, but with no confidence or comfort on her person.

A combination of boredom, exhaustion, and time take their toll on Lily. Her eyelids grow heavy and her stature loses strength. Toriel can tell she remains determined, unwilling to be vulnerable before a strange creature like her. Toriel remains patient with the girl, resisting the urge to leave or act until the moment is right.

The moment comes with a murmur from Lily. "No… not now… Don't go to sleep… But so tired… Just bad dream… Wake up and find… find mom… and… dad." Her eyes shut and she falls forward, landing into Toriel's welcoming arms.

"Finally. You certainly do have spirit, my child. A while longer and I would have fallen asleep myself. Now let us take you away from this place." Toriel takes Lily into her embrace. The act seems to have her approval.

"Umm… You're so soft… and warm… Mrs. Norris… Take me home…" Sleep takes hold of the girl and all resistance ends, to Toriel's relief. She is amazed that such a small child can possess energy to rival the mightiest of monsters.

"Very well my child, let us go to-!" Toriel stops as her foot encounters the knife. Despite being made from plastic, the dust spread across the ground tells her its point is no less dull in the wrong hands. The very same hands of the monster in her hands, the realization tears her in two: one half frozen with dread and another consumed with concern for the little monster's wellbeing; yet both uncertain of what to do next.

_What happened here?! How could you have done this!? Why would…_ "You." Toriel turns to her and is shocked by what she finds. A sleeping and smiling child who clings to her arms like her life depends upon it, which it did in a way. Innocence and pureness radiate from Lily, like the heinous act never occurred. Toriel couldn't suppress her fears, just as she could not contain a fragile smile.

_I must know what happened here before I act. I will keep her at my side. The others will not approve, but when this is done I… I'll…_ Words fail Toriel as her mind becomes a frenzy of chaotic thoughts and scenarios of the uncertain future. That is until Lily gets comfortable and buries herself within her arms. She is heavy to carry, but soft to the touch; her heart beats against Toriel in a strong but quiet inviting manner.

_No. I cannot… I will not abandon her. She is going to need me and I will help her. This will not happen again. This will not be like last time._ Toriel thought as memories run through her mind, days filled with the laughter and joy of children under her close and careful watch. With that experience, a surge of confidence and joy fills Toriel for those days long gone, now restored in her arms.

"Let us go Home, Lily." With her mind set in stone, Toriel recovers the knife and buries it deep within her robes. She devotes her attention to the girl with a tender and gentle embrace, taking herself and Lily into the Ruins.

One Hour Later

"You're mad, Lady Toriel! That can't be your decision!" A monster with one eye says as he leads a small mob in the courtyard. Toriel expected resistance to her choice, and cannot blame them under the difficult circumstances. However, she is ready to stand her ground.

"I understand your plight, but this is my decision and I am not going to change my mind. Lily will remain under my care and that is final!" She declares, leaving no space for question or argument with the firmness of her voice.

"That human killed children! They were just playing around in the Ruins when she murdered them! You can't expect us to let that go!" The monster shouts among many sayings and murmurs of agreement from the assembled crowd.

"I am well aware of the situation and I know the dangers better than many of you. You can rest assured she will learn the consequences of her choices. But that time is not now, she is incredibly fragile now and needs me. And I am willing to take that risk as a Boss Monster." Toriel says with confidence.

"Fine for you, but what about the rest of us?! Do you expect us to just stand around and wait for her to get better!? She's a danger to all of us and she cannot stay in the Ruins!" He shouts, and it's clear which side the crowd is on.

"I agree. She does pose a danger. But what would you have me do with her? Would you have me take her life as she did to us? How would that make us any better than her?" Many monsters lose their fighting spirit at the proposition.

"You don't have to do any of that nasty stuff, Lady Toriel. Just leave her outside the Ruins. She won't come back and it won't be long until the Royal Guard can take care of-."

"Absolutely not! That is a death sentence and you all know it! I know what she has done is wrong. But she is only a child and I will not allow any harm to come to her." Toriel commands, many of the monsters back away. All except for one beetle monster, who approaches Toriel.

"Tomms was my child," she says with streaming tears and shaking mandibles. "He was my child and now he's gone… I will never see him again… She took him away from us… from me! He was just playing, he didn't mean or do anything wrong, and he was not alone. And she struck them down!" She falls to her knees.

"Please, as a fellow mother, do we not understand each other?" The insect monster asks and Toriel finds it difficult for her to stand. Instead she crouches to join and reach for her with a reassuring embrace.

"I know the pain you speak of… far too well." Her voice straining with anguish. "You do everything you can to guide and protect them. They love and hate you for that. You see them grow up day by day, and every day they make you happy, worry, angry, sad, & everything else. There are times where it is amazing or the most difficult thing you've ever done. But in the end, it's all worth the while. For they are a part of you and you them, and you love each other. Trust me when I say there is no greater pain than losing them." Toriel pause as the two mothers share an understanding glance with each other.

"So you understand me when I say Lily will remain in my care. I know what she has taken from you, but that is what she has lost. If you do not have faith in her, at least place your faith in me. I have done this before. I know what I am doing. So please give this chance to help her." Toriel says and the insect mother is speechless, leaving with a stunned face.

The one eyed monster from before takes her place. "You're playing a dangerous game with all of our lives, Lady Toriel. She's stuck down here with all of us. When she learns that, what will stop her rampage? You? We need more than just your pretty words if she's going to stay!"

"I will do everything I can to prevent that cause, it will not come to pass. I promise that I will keep all of you safe just as I will her."

"You can't possibly guarantee-." The monster stops when a Froggit hops to his side and whispers to him. They travel from Toriel to avoid her ears and exchange words. The monster is not happy and those close enough to hear seem off-put by the idea, but Froggit remains calm. In time, the monster seems begrudgingly convinced by Froggit and they return to Toriel.

"Alright, Lady Toriel, you can keep the human. But if she hurts one monster, our deal is over. We'll go to Asgore and tell him where to find you two. He can sort it out from there." Their words stab Toriel in the gut, but she cannot argue nor blame them for taking this action. When she arrived in the Ruins, many of the monsters worried she would rule over them; however Toriel promised not to in exchange for them keeping her location a secret from Asgore. Knowing the stakes and risks, she nods to accept their terms.

"If that is what it will take to satisfy all of you, so be it. Now if you'd excuse me. There is work I must do." Toriel turns away from them before the argument could continue, she knows this will not be the end of it. But for the moment, there are more pressing concerns inside her home.

She enters the makeshift living room, where a sofa contains Lily asleep in a lost slumber. She cuddles beneath the covers, a pillow in her arms and delight on her face, believing she is on the surface. She brings warmth to Toriel's heart, one she believed long gone, but it comes with a strong cold spot. Despite being small and young, the fact Lily could be ready to kill leaves her with a twinge of pain.

She rubs her horns to relieve herself of stress and enters the kitchen. Needing to occupy her time, thoughts, and prepare for the girl's awakening. "She'll be hungry, best to have something ready to eat."

Toriel gathers her ingredients and instruments to bake a pie. Free from distractions and concern for the present, she takes delight in preparing the batter, laying the crust, and heating the oven with her fire magic. At her side is an imaginary human helper, hesitant to cook but eager to join her company. The memory brings glee to Toriel, recalling how they cooked a pie and how it ended in a disaster that tasted like ash, but neither cried nor frown as they shared it together.

Despite the memory's comfort, Toriel's solitude brings changes in the recollection. Seeing not auburn hair, but black with a string of red. Nearly dropping the pie, Toriel catches herself and puts the memory aside before she loses all progress. She settles the pie into the oven and uses her fire magic to initiate the baking before catching her breath.

"I hope she will not turn her nose at cinnamon." With the work complete all that remains is patience.

As the pie bakes, a sweet pungent smell fills the air and graces their waiting or sleeping noses. Like an alarm clock, the smell stirs the monster from her restful slumber. "Good morning Mrs. Norris, what's that yummy smell? Did Mr. Morrison make some…! Something!"

Toriel runs into the living room to find Lily awaken in the living room's center, searching for a way to escape. Her search comes to an abrupt end when they lock eyes. Toriel projects an aura of comfort as the monster descents into dread.

"No! That was supposed to be a bad dream! I was supposed to wake up back home not here!" Anxiety mixes with fear across her face.

"Listen Lily, allow me to-!"

"Where am I? What is this place!? I need to get out of here before it's too late! How much time has gone by!? You better let me go before mother and father find me here like this. You'll be in big trouble! Or wake me up from this nightmare!" The Monster demands with desperation.

"I will answer all your questions, just please calm down. This is no nightmare child. I brought here after you fell asleep. This is my home, and for now it will be yours as well. You need not concern yourself, I will be looking after you." Toriel says to reassure her, the effect is quite the opposite.

"What?! No! That can't happen! Listen you have to tell me how to get out of here! I need to get out of here before it's too late! I have to get back." She begs. Toriel did not want disappoint Lily, but she knows better and she could not tell her the truth in such a state.

"Please forgive me my child." The words visibly irk Lily. "I cannot do right now. It is not safe for you out there, until the situation changes you must remain here where I can protect you. Believe me when I say this is for your own good."

"So you have kidnapped me. You lied to me! Listen my parents will pay you all the money you want to let me go! They have lots of big and important friends too! They'll be looking for me! They'll come back for me! I know they well… They have to." Her words endear and frustrate Toriel.

"Please, I do not wish to go over this again. We did not kidnap you. I do not even know how you came to us. Although I am willing to wait for your answer. And while you must remain here, you are not a prisoner." Toriel says, but even she did not know where her truth starts and falsehood ends. But for once Lily's face lights with color and excitement.

"Truly!?" Toriel nods and with that confirmation the monster runs out of the room, but is blocked by a locked door. She bangs against the door in a futile attempt to escape.

"I would not advise that. The Underground is not safe for humans such as you. I know this is difficult to accept, but you must stay at my side. It is the only way you will remain safe and happy."

"Safe with you!" She does not try to disguise her disbelief. "No, I'll find a way out of here. I need to get back home to my family! You can't keep me down here! They'll miss me!" She says with fear before turning to yearning, and Toriel is left with fewer options to calm Lily.

"Please, if you are concerned, you need not be. You have no reason to be afraid of me. I was the one who carried you here after you fell asleep. I kept you safe from those who would not have done the same. And I will continue to protect you as long as you remain in my company." Toriel gains Lily's attention, but not in the manner she wanted.

"But I can't stay here! I'm running out of time! I have to get back before they leave! Before they forget me! And I lose everyone! Please you have to listen to what I'm saying! If you really want me to be happy! Let me go so I can go back to them!" Lily begs and bows before Toriel, and she approaches Lily to turn her face and stare into her eyes.

"I understand how you feel my child." Lily casts her head away from Toriel. "I too once had a home and a family to share it with. Every day was an endless joy and I thought it would never end… until one day it did …and I came here. It is such an ugly and bitter feeling; you'd do anything to be rid of it. Wish you could go back and change one simple mistake to undo it all." Toriel speaks, both of her distant past and the more recent past.

"When I first came here to the Underground, I thought as much as you did about it. I yearned for the surface and its majestic beauty. To return to my many lost friends and family. I would have gladly traded all my days for a single moment under the sun and moon, but I knew such a thing could not come to pass." Toriel speaks, both of her distant past and time in the Ruins.

"So why won't you let me go fix it? I might still have time! If I don't get back, mother and father… they'll hate…" Her voice trails away into silence, but not fast enough to escape Toriel's notice.

"What is it? What's wrong? Please tell me what is happening?" Toriel waits for her response with breathless anticipation.

Lily turns to reveal her tear filled face and tears Toriel's heart to pieces. "Let me go back home."

At this moment, Toriel would have allowed the girl to leave. She even would have insisted on accompanying her back to the surface, if she could. But those are the key words, if they could, and neither can return to the surface. A fact that will destroy the girl and Toriel knows it. "I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry, but that cannot happen."

"Why! What do you want from me?!" The Monster demands and Toriel responds with open arms, ready for a hug.

"I know this place is not your home. I know I am not your family. I know you must be incredibly alone now, looking ahead with despair at a future down here in this darkness. But things do not have to be this way for you. This place does not have to be a prison. I admit it will not be an easy process, but not an impossible one either, especially when you are not alone.

"Together we can turn this place into a home for us. Together we can be a family. And together we do not have to be alone and we can help each other to be happy. I promise you all of that and so much more. That is all I wish for." Toriel says, ready to embrace Lily like she did before with another in happy days long gone and hopefully now ahead of her.

The Monster turns quiet and motionless, gasping for breath and unsure of herself as she goes deep into contemplation. Toriel waits for her answer and would have waited for a hundred years to hear it. "You want to take their place?"

"Of course my child." Toriel says, yearning for Lily's acceptance and company so greatly, she falls into a trance where the two are already hugging and together. It takes mere moments for scorn to spread across the monster's face. In an instance, the sad fragile girl from the Ruins is replaced by an angry one.

"I already have a family!" She runs from Toriel, charging down the hallway to hide inside one of the rooms. Toriel does not attempt to stop her, weighted by her broken sunken heart. It drags her into a depressing stupor and stillness, until the oven's timer rings out.

"I guess I will be eating alone tonight… Again." Toriel departs into the solitude of the living room, something she hopes to change.

During her meal, Toriel conducts plans to connect with Lily. Drawing on her past experience, she readies herself to help Lily adapt to life in the Underground. She will help Lily with daily tasks and chores to build roots in their home. She will share her company and presence to gain Lily's favor and trust. All to create experiences that will strengthen their bond together as family. In the end, Toriel is confident the two of them will be happy, just as they were before.

One Week Later

"Lily, I am home!" Toriel shouts and receives the silence she has grown to expect.

With an exhausted sigh, she moves into the kitchen with slow and meager steps. Thanks to her broken sleep schedule, courtesy of her impatient houseguest, her body is tired, spirit is drained, and her mind could barely remember the last day. She expected growing pains with Lily, but she could not have been anymore unprepared for what came.

Toriel would be ready every morning to help Lily dress, groom, and prepare for the following day. Every morning Lily would be ready to run, to hide, and to make the process as difficult as possible. She rejected all of Toriel's clothing, preferring to wear her surface clothing day and night. Simple tasks such as brushing hair became a tremendous struggle that made both of them more likely to yank out their hair. Lily made it clear she had no interest in caring or adding any personal touch to this cage, as she called it.

Despite this, Toriel never left Lily's side, eagerly following Lily constantly so she would know she is not alone. In return, Lily did everything she could to put distance between the two of them. Meals would be eaten in separate rooms, Lily slept during the day to remain awake during night to avoid Toriel, and she would make many daring escape attempts. It did not take long for their company to become one of constant argument and division.

Any attempt Toriel made to connect with Lily was shot down in flames. She had no interest in pastimes such as drawing, exploring, or playing with cameras as Toriel insisted. What did not help was that Lily could not leave Home, thanks to the Ruin's monsters' widespread disapproval of her, condemning them to a little place with little to do. What few moments of pleasant company they shared were largely due to their desire to escape boredom. The one activity Lily genuinely enjoyed with Toriel was playing Hide n Never Seek.

Toriel did not understand what was wrong. Never had her patience been tested this greatly as her efforts always ended in failure. Despite treating Lily exactly like her previous children, it never seemed to please Lily. At times, to her regret, her tongue turned cold and harsh to keep Lily in line. Any sign of a daily routine was torn to tatters along with her sleep schedule, leaving her weaker with each passing day. Yet Toriel would never relent in her duty to Lily, no matter how much she or Lily disagreed.

Lily, for her part, never gave up her crusade to leave the Underground. A desire which only seemed to grow stronger by the day, along with her defiance and desperation. She was always working to convince Toriel to allow her to leave for her home and family, and by now she had heard every plea and bargain the girl had to make. When words failed, actions would speak louder as Lily tried to escape from Home under Toriel's constant, vigilant watch.

Their life became a cycle of intense argument or bitter silence, and Toriel could not decide which was worse: the verbal fights that keep them belligerent and divided or the silence that reminded her something is wrong and how helpless she is to repair it. During nights, Toriel often heard Lily's cries in moments where she believed she was alone. Cries which existence Lily would denied the following day.

Out of all the accusations Lily threw at her, the worse one is her claim that Toriel intends to keep her trapped Underground for the rest of her life. These made Toriel sad, as she would lie to Lily with every utterance, knowing there is more than an ounce of truth to her claim. Even if she were the only monster in the whole Underground and her safety guaranteed, there would be no way Lily would ever be able to return to the home and family she missed so dearly.

It is a truth Toriel guards from Lily for her own sake, any struggle would be worth not destroying the girl's hopes and dreams. Regardless of the circumstances, Toriel remains committed to taking care of Lily. Returning from the Ruins with a bag of groceries, knowing dinner must be ready soon. She comforts herself with the possibility that perhaps Lily will join her this time.

"I wonder if the snails are ready." A small colony of snails lives in the corridors beneath Home. Normally she could freely travel whenever she pleases, but Lily's presence makes the task far more difficult. With this moment of rest, Toriel decides to check for herself and reaches for a metal key ring from the top of the refrigerator.

"Where is it? I know it is here." Toriel sweeps across the top with her hand, but finds no key. She removes some containers and climbs a stool to gaze at the top and to her surprise, finds empty space. "Where did it go? It must be here!"

Toriel conducts a thorough search of the kitchen. It ends with the fridge being removed from its corner, empty cabinets with their contents littered across the floor, and Toriel on her back. She rubs her horns as her mind races through the possibilities of where the keys might have gone. It does not take long for her to arrive at the only possible answer.

"Oh no! Please don't let me be too late!" Toriel charges out of Home and down to the cellar as if she is fleeing from death itself. She hopes she does not find death at her destination.

The cellar is a corridor that connects the Ruins of Home to the remainder of the Underground. Since the monsters of the Ruins chose to live here and the Ruins are forgotten by most of the Underground, the corridor is empty and Toriel intends to keep it that way. She navigates the corridors of the cellar, running as fast as she can in her tired state. Yet she does not stop until she finds what she is searching for.

"No! You must stop what you are doing, my child!" Toriel commands as Lily pushes against the unlocked door separating her from the outside of the Ruins. She did not want to shout, but her patience at long last has reached its breaking points thanks to Lily.

"No! Not you!" Lily pushes and strains with all of her might to escape. Despite possessing a key in hand, she lacks the strength to open a stone door three times her size and weight. Wasting no time Toriel pulls Lily away from the door, ready to scold Lily for her latest escaping attempt.

"Please stop struggling; how many must I tell you that you must stay at my side? I know how you feel, but as I've told you, this is for your own good, my child, and-!"

"Stop saying that!" The Monster screams at the top of her lungs, leaving Toriel stunned with aching ears. She thrusts herself free from Toriel, leaping away to reveal a face crumpled by anguish and desperation. Tears stream freely across her face and she pushes her voice to its breaking point. "Please stop saying that. I don't want to hear it anymore!"

"I'm sorry, I did not intent to bring you harm. Please return with me so I can help you. It can be just like before, you and me my child-." Toriel stops as Lily grimaces and explodes like a bomb. Toriel does not know how to respond, having never seen anything like this from her past children.

"You still don't get it! I am not your child! I don't want to be here!" Lily shouts like she is explaining the most obvious thing in the world to a toddler. "How many times do I say this? I don't want to spend the rest of my life in this dark and scary place! I already have a home and family and I love them! You can't replace them and you can't use me to replace your family!" Lily shouts at the top of her lungs to Toriel who stands stunned, but unable to deny the truth of her words.

"I don't know why I'm saying this! You never listen to me! Between these walls and you being everywhere. I can't even breathe!" Lily shouts in between cries and hyperventilating gasps, leaving Toriel aghast and silent in her crumbling presence.

"I…I-I I'm trying to help you. I… I just wish for you to be happy My- Lily." Toriel pleads, hoping to understand.

"Then please." She turns her face up at Toriel, falls to her knees and clasps her hands together.

"Please, you have to let me go back home! I've already wasted so much time down here! I need to get back before it's too late! Before they leave me behind! That's what's going to happen. They'll leave me behind! They'll hate me! And they'll forget me! Please let me go so I can fix this!" Lily begs with the strain clear as rain on her face.

Toriel does not doubt her words; Lily has repeated them many times to her, but Toriel always turned a deaf ear to them. Now she can see how wrong she was to do so. In this moment, more so then any other, she wishes for the power to make Lily's hopes and dreams come true. Instead, the truth that would destroy them both comes to the forefront of her mind. The task to share that truth with Lily, becomes easier and harder with every second.

"I am so sorry, Lily. I am completely and utterly sorry. For everything I did and everything I did not do to make you so unhappy. I wish I could grant your wish; please believe me, I do. But the situation has not changed, and I am as helpless as you are to change it. I am sorry, but you must remain here. Please forgive me!" The Monster does not want to hear those words as she crumbles to pieces like a collapsing statue.

"But we can still be happy together! Please, I promise to listen to you from now on! We will do whatever you want! Ask of me anything you desire. Ask me and it will be done, I promise you!" Toriel falls to her knees, nearing her own breaking point; desperate to tell Lily anything to keep her here, anything except the truth.

"I already told you what I want. Why won't you do it? What aren't you telling me? You keep saying this is for my own good. How!? If me staying here is that important, at least tell me why?!" The Monster demands as anger spills into her amidst the sadness and frustration, the same feelings within Toriel.

"Please, don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you." Toriel did not mean it the way it sounds, but that is all Lily needs to confirm her worse fears.

"Hurt me! Well, I'm not going to give you that chance!" The Monster pushes against the door like a cornered animal. Either spurred on from Toriel's words or finding some untapped strength deep within her, she manages to budge the door open.

With no time left, Toriel takes a deep gulp. _Please forgive me… my child._

"There is a Barrier!" Toriel shouts at The Monster and it does get her attention. "There is a magical barrier that surrounds all of us. It keeps us trapped and sealed away from the surface. We tried to escape ourselves. We did everything we could think of, but none of it ever worked. Eventually we gave up and made the Underground our home." Toriel could not bring herself to look into Lily's face as she speaks these words.

"Do you understand? Even if I allow you to leave. You cannot escape and the Ruins are the only safe place for you now." Toriel conceals the death warrant on her person in the Underground, not wanting to make a bad situation worse.

"You think I'm going to believe that baloney? You'll say anything to keep me trapped with you!"

"I know it sounds hard to believe, but I assure you it's true. Think about it; is it not strange we were still down here when you first arrived? We monsters would have left long ago if we could. You think we enjoy this darkness!? I assure you we don't! But we have no choice in the matter. The barrier will not allow us to leave …and it will not allow you to leave either."

"No that can't be true! You said Magic couldn't be used this way!"

"I apologize for lying to you. I knew you would react this way. That is why I did not want to tell you. Magic can be a wonderful tool, to inspire and help those find their way. But in the wrong hands, it can be a horrible weapon." Toriel says, but wishes she could not. As each word brings Lily to a lower and sadder place.

"There has to be a way! I need to get back home!" Lily says, trying her best to deny despite being convinced by Toriel's words.

"There is no way to escape. I'm sorry, but your home and your family. You can never see them again. That is why I did everything I could to make you happy. Children like you need to have hopes and dreams. I did not wish to destroy them. I didn't want to hurt you. I am so sorry Lily, I hope you can forgive me, but I will not be angered if you don't." Toriel readies herself for Lily's reaction, not sure what to expect from the human and afraid to learn.

Anger. Rage. Wrath. Some combination of all three? With nothing to lose or gain, perhaps the monsters are correct and she will be the first to fall in Lily's rampage.

Stunned silence fills the corridor; no words, no sounds, not even a breath escape their mouths as the world freezes around them. Both wait in another standoff that drags for what seems like days. In reality, it takes a single second and a few words for it to end.

"So I'm all alone," Lily says in a voice devoid of any life or substance.

"That is not true. You do not have to be-" Her words do not reach Lily.

"I lost all of them." Lily continues to speak, trapped in some kind of trance in a distant place and time.

"No, I know things are bleak but there can still be light in the darkness, I can help you find-" Toriel is halted by Lily's tears and broken face.

"It's all my fault… They'll hate me forever." The words take Toriel by surprise and pique her interest.

"Your fault? Who will hate you? I don't understand. Please, I promise to listen to you from now on. Just speak to me. What is wrong?" Toriel asks and Lily looks at her with stunned pain, finding acceptance and rejection in Lily's eyes. No answer comes at all and Lily shuts her eyes, visibly overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions raining upon her in hellfire. Toriel decides to ease Lily's pain.

"You do not have to answer if you do not wish it. You can do whatever you please now. I will no longer stand in your way." The words hurt Toriel to say, but she no longer knows what else to do. All she could do is await Lily's answer.

Suppressing her emotions with a blank face, Lily goes silent. She walks past Toriel without any acknowledgement, returning to home like a prisoner marching to their execution. Toriel reaches for Lily, but pulls away as the girl slowly shrinks away in the distance ahead of her. While pleased Lily chose to remain with her in Home, she never felt further away from her.

3 Weeks Later

"Lily! Dinner is ready!" Toriel finishes the final touches on the dining table with eagerness, hoping the meal will bring a smile to Lily.

It took time and effort, but Toriel prepared a full course meal of entirely human cuisine with no monster ingredients: Tomato soup and salad for appetizers, meat loaf with a side of fresh pasta for the main course, and her butterscotch pie for desert. The buffet of smells alone tempts her, but she waits for Lily's arrival, especially since she had no foreknowledge of this meal. Toriel hopes after so long, Lily will finally return.

"Okay… I'll be there… soon." Lily says in a distant murmur, so quiet and soft Toriel almost missed her. Toriel allows Lily to take her time, which she always does with everything these days. Silence swallows the faint echo of approaching steps that disappear as quickly as they appear. Toriel lets loose a long sigh, knowing she will have time to kill before Lily arrives.

Ever since their confrontation, all of Lily's stubborn resistance ceased. Once she recovered, she became far more receptive and cooperative with Toriel. Arguments and disputes ended, replaced with conversation and company. Lily always followed her instructions and Toriel learned much from Lily as she listened to her. On the surface everything seemed fine, as Lily constantly told her she was, but Toriel knew better.

Despite becoming amenable, this was in comparison to their disastrous first week. Lily spoke to her, but only when Toriel initiated it; otherwise she never made any sound. Lily joined Toriel in housework and games, but only at her invitation and never did she commit more than the bare minimum of effort, and often not even that. She tired easily and rarely had the energy or interest to do anything on her own, and on those rare occasions she did so with little enthusiasm. Unless her presence was necessary or requested, Lily preferred not to leave her room.

Toriel welcomed the end of her foul temperament, but was not prepared for this intense apathy. Lily is never angry, never disgusted, never sad, but most importantly she is never happy. Like the universe flipped a switch from on to off, and broke it before departing. Toriel made many efforts to bring delight to her life: breakfast in bed, games in the courtyard, story time before sleep, and countless more attempts. Lily accepted all without complaint, but she never came any closer to regaining the spark of life she once had in abundance.

Toriel wanted to learn the cause of Lily's mood and how to reverse it, but Lily always insisted she was fine. Toriel never pressed too deeply, afraid of upsetting her. Also it was not difficult to assume one of the chief causes. Learning you will be trapped underground for the rest of your life, forever separate from all your loved ones, is never a welcoming thing to hear, much less to accept.

As to what is sustaining this mood, Toriel is no closer to knowing that, than she is returning to the Surface hand in hand with Lily, both of them happy again. Toriel's contemplation breaks with Lily's entrance.

Adorned in royal robes, and almost swallowed by them. Her small head awkwardly emerges from the top. The sleeves stretch over her hands, dragging across the ground along with a foot of the robe's bottom. Like a kitten wearing a beautiful sweater too big for her, not that Lily had any thoughts on her clothing. She approaches the table with the urgency of a dying sloth. Her face so blank and straight she could pass for drawing paper. The contents of the table could not muster anything more than a pale imitation of a smile to Toriel's disappointment.

"Oh... You made all this. It all looks so splendid. Thank you so much Miss Toriel." She bows from a few feet away, but her voice is distant and faint, difficult to hear without one's undivided attention. She sounds like someone doing their best impersonation of happiness, but falling flat. Toriel's heart would shrink to hear such a voice, but by now her heart could not have been anymore withered. Yet she knows hers is a distant second place to Lily.

While the sights and smells did entice Lily, it did not detour her from folding a napkin over her lap by habit. Toriel knows little of Lily's prior life, but her parents instilled excellent manners within her. Lily never makes a mess, always uses proper utensils for proper dishes, and keeps her elbows far from the table. While Toriel appreciates courtesy, she would not have minded some ruckus from Lily.

They start to eat, but Toriel keeps her focus on Lily. She eats, but with passive investment and small bites. Whether she is content but suppressing those urges or genuinely disinterested in the meal, Toriel could not tell. She hoped the exclusive presence of human cuisine would restore Lily's spirit. Once again, it seems she is wrong.

Perhaps where actions fail, words could succeed.

"So, Lily, I have very good news. I have spoken to the monsters in the Ruins and I have come to an arrangement with them. As long as you remain by my side, they'd be willing to welcome your company in the Ruins. Does that not sound wonderful?!" Toriel says, hoping the potential for freedom would excite Lily.

"That sounds nice… Would be nice to get out, but this works too I suppose," she says like finding a piece of expired candy in her pocket. "Yes, we can do whatever Miss Toriel likes."

"Wonderful! There are many sights in the Ruins. I cannot wait to take you to all of them! The marketplace is filled with many shops and splendid treats; you will love them. The ancient bath house still functions and is always a joy to visit. And the view from the balcony is breathtaking; you can stare out at the whole Ruins from up there. Tell me, Lily, what would you like to do first?"

"Oh, whatever makes you happy the most, Miss Toriel; I don't mind much myself. I'm sure we'll get to all of them eventually. But thank you again for the offer. I'm looking forward to visiting all of them," she says without an ounce of excitement.

"Well, we shall find out soon enough. For the moment, I was wondering if you could speak with me about the Surface. It has been so long since I was there. I recall the majestic beauty of the sun at dawn, and peaceful serenity of the moon hanging in the night sky. I welcome anything you are willing to share with me." Between appeasing her request and having the girl recall happier times, Toriel hopes her happiness will remain.

"Oh, the surface is amazing! My parents told me about all the places they visited on vacation and they sounded wonderful. I wished they would have taken me, but my house was always the best place on the Surface. The staff was always there to take care of me and they always let me have fun when mother and father were busy. There were so many things to do. I can't count them all!" Lily says with some spirit. Wanting to sustain it, Toriel continues.

"Those things you did. What were your favorites? I would love to hear them." _And recreate them as well._ Toriel thought.

"I always loved riding ponies! I went as fast as I could; I always loved how the wind would mess up my hair. The best parts were when I got the pony to jump and I get to fly into the air like a big bird! I jumped over Mr. Hardy once in the garden. He got mad at first but then we laughed together because it was so funny. And the ponies are always nice to me whenever I feed them, and I love it when they lick me." Toriel takes notes, knowing there are no ponies underground, she would have to find a temporary substitute.

"I also love dancing. I remember this time mother and father threw a party. I showed up to dance and I wouldn't stop no matter what. Even when bedtime came, I ran away and made them chase after me, and they got so mad. I don't know how to explain it, but when I hear music, I can't stop myself. After that, Mother and Father locked my doors whenever they threw parties and hired me a dancing teacher to make me better, but he was mean. He called my dancing improper and nasty. Well, I danced real nasty on top of him." Toriel smiles awkwardly, knowing how much energy Lily has when she puts her heart into something.

"But whenever it was just me, I loved going into the garden; so many flowers and trees and the pond was always so pretty and blue. I would just run around until I got tired and lay in the grass to look up at the sky. I would look for funny shapes in the clouds or make them myself… Now that I think about it, you're right, Miss Toriel. The sun really is pretty."

"It seems like you kept yourself quite busy at home. So many things and so many people as well. Your family must be quite large and important."

"Kind of, it was me, mother, and father. They told me we had other family: aunts, uncles, and cousins; but they never wanted to visit us. I wish I could have met them. Mother and Father were always real busy working," She says in a cold and weary way. "And when they're home, they…" She stops herself with quivering lips.

"What is it Lily?" Toriel asks, no longer calling her 'my child' to avoid upsetting her.

"Oh nothing! Everything was perfect and great, I was always happy whenever mother and father came home! I missed them so much and I love them, I hated whenever they left." Lily insists, but her voice comes across as artificial before relaxing. "Besides it didn't bother me that much, because the staff was always there for me." To Toriel's surprise, her smile returns, she can only hope it endures.

"Mrs. Norris was always ready to help me. She would fix my hair and dress me until she said I was cute as a button and read me stories at bedtime every night. Chef Morrison knew all of my favorite foods and he would always surprise me on my birthday with breakfast in bed. Whenever he baked, he would bring me the spoon so I could lick it clean. Mr. Hardy would always let me play in the garden and ride the ponies. He said I was the prettiest flower in the whole house." She says with such loving affection and care and Toriel could see the girl she was once.

"They brought their kids to visit me lots of times, they were my friends. I couldn't tell mother and father about them, and I didn't want to lie to them, but I did it anyway." She says with more than a hint of satisfaction. "Those were always the funniest times. We played lots of games from day to night, ate food until our bellies burst, and I always wanted to dance. They all said my house was the biggest they ever saw, but for me it was just home."

"All that sounds absolutely wonderful!"

"Yes, it certainly was…" Her smile dies with her words. "And now it's all gone… Forever. But don't you worry about me, Miss Toriel… I'm fine." She says in that way that tells Toriel she is not fine.

Toriel mentally slaps herself for starting this conversation. _Dwelling on the past is not the solution; the future is where she must have hope._

"Well, I am pleased to hear that. So, tell me, what would you like to do in the Underground? You know, when you become a big girl, I could trust you to watch over Home alone. There are many things to do down here as caretaker," Toriel says, hoping to get any kind of reaction from Lily.

Instead she gets a long and protruded period of silence. "That sounds fine. I'll pick that if I have to." Never has Lily sounded so defeated.

"Oh no. You don't have to choose that merely because of me. You can do whatever you wish Lily, and you will have me to help you along the way. Please, tell me what do you wish to do?"

Surprise flashes on her face for a few moments, and she rises as if to answer. Before she sits back down and continues to eat as if Toriel never asked the question. But Toriel knows Lily is not ignoring her; silence is her answer.

"Please, there must be something you want to be?" Toriel pleads with her this time around, and Lily remains quiet, looking at her with a dead-pan stare.

"Not anymore." She replies, and Toriel grasps at invisible straws to connect with Lily, each as fleeing and futile as the previous one.

_Desperate times, desperate measures._ Toriel thought as she removes herself from the table and stands aside in clear view of Lily.

"Here Lily, I have a bright idea for you to consider. Please allow me to enlighten you." Toriel summons a small burst of fire within her hand and to juggle in the air. She starts with one until it splits into two, not that it detours her from the spectacle. The show grows as two becomes three, four, and eventually five; yet Toriel does not stop juggling them.

"I would say you could give me a hand, but I already appear to be on fire." Toriel speaks with a tortured delivery, yet she does have Lily's full attention. With the fire juggling trick running thin, Toriel combines all of them together into a single large flame. With the flame under her control, she channels her magic into the flame and turns it a vibrant cyan to Lily's awe.

"I guess you could say it is Sapph-fire blue. You can look closer if you like, just don't flame me if you get burnt." Toriel does not intent for Lily to get any closer then she is already. At least not until the final part of her show. With an entranced stare in Lily's eyes, Toriel cools the flame into a dim blue and raises it into the air. She scatters the flames across the air in every direction in burning bright flares.

Lacking strength and power, the flames dissipate into thin air, where they can do no harm. Even Lily could not contain a small and meager applause. "Oh, we are not done. There is still one missing. Oh, wherever could it be? We must find it, or all is lost." Toriel approaches Lily.

"Perhaps it is h-ear!" Toriel grabs the back of Lily's ear, grabbing her like pulling a coin. She conjures a puny but powerful flame from the tip of her finger. Holding it between them, near enough to bath Lily in its warmth and light, but far enough to keep her safe and ready to end the flame on a moment's notice.

Bright yellow and red flashes across both their eyes. "Quite the ear you possess Lily. I never thought it would have been here for me to hear. Not the best place for a fire, but if you wish it. You can take it into your heart, and it will be with you wherever you go."

Toriel holds the flame with a smile that surpasses the fire in its warmth and brightness. For a moment, all seems well as Lily smiles and her eyes glistens with exhilaration and temptation. When she locks eyes with Toriel, the moment passes and Lily returns to normal. The flame's spell on her breaks.

"Thank you, Miss Toriel. That was wonderful. I loved it," she says with the most pathetic laugh Toriel ever heard, leaving her in disappointment. She dispels the flame and sighs, giving up on her show.

"Lily, please speak to me. I don't want to see you like this and do not tell me you are fine. I know you are not. I did not wish to be this direct, but what is wrong? You can trust me." Toriel pleads on one knee before the girl and again she turns silent.

"Everything." Lily whispers beneath her breath, too silent to hear, but Toriel could read her lips.

"And how can I help you? Please let me help you." Toriel takes Lily's hands into hers. Despite the warmth and softness of her fur, Lily's hands remain limp and cold.

"I am sorry, Miss Toriel. I'm not hungry anymore. Can I please be excused?" Lily says and Toriel knows arguing with her won't accomplish anything now.

"Very well, but I shall go with you," Toriel says, not wishing to leave her alone like this and Lily merely nods as they depart from the table. Toriel follows Lily to her bedroom, not surprised she wants to sleep again. It has become her favorite activity. Despite receiving a second round of furniture from the Ruins to decorate their home; Lily remains disinterested in decorating her room. Aside from her bed, a dresser for spare clothing, and nightstand for light, it is barren.

Toriel helps Lily into bed and tucks her beneath the covers. Despite being in her favorite place in the underground, her mood does not change. "Well, I have an errand to run tomorrow; perhaps you can join me. Getting out of this stuffy place will do the both of us some good," Toriel says to give Lily something to look forward to, even if she doesn't show it.

"That sounds nice. Are you sure the monsters are okay with me?" Lily asks.

"Of course they are." Toriel lies. In reality, the monsters only begrudgingly agreed to allow Lily to re-enter the Ruins. An agreement that came with many stipulations and met heavy resistance until it was finalized. Lily could leave, but only with Toriel and she would not be allowed in many areas or to interact with any monster. But Toriel keeps those details to herself, as long as Lily stays beside her, she will be fine.

"Would you like me to read you a story?" Toriel asks, wanting to change the subject as soon as possible. Lily merely nods and Toriel picks out a book she left on the nightstand.

The book is a collection of fables and tall tales. They always interested Lily thanks to how Toriel told the tales. She makes funny voices for the characters before returning to her sweet voice for the narration. She uses fire magic to control lightning, creating darkness when the characters fall into danger and restoring it when hope triumphs over the dangers. And she replaces many of the stories' human antagonists with Zooboos, creatures entirely of Toriel's creation that do not exist.

In this particular story, it follows the tale of a young monster child who abandoned the safety of their home to go on a journey. For their entire life, they were taught to by their parents to stay in their village where it is safe. The outside is terrorized by Zooboos that do not care for others and do not know mercy. This child refused and ventured to the village of the Zooboos to make friends with them.

"She was stupid." Lily says with a bite in her words, leaving Toriel surprised to hear harshness in her voice. "Running off away like that. She should have listened to them like a good girl! Then she wouldn't have gotten herself killed by the Zooboos."

"But… that's not what happens in the story. Please, Lily, I am almost to the ending. I am sure you will enjoy it." Toriel loves the story because it ends with a happy ending where the Monsters and Zooboos make peace and becomes friends with one another thanks to the child's mercy and love.

"No. Good children should listen to their parents and do what they say. Otherwise they die like this dumb kid in the story!" Her voice is tinged with anger, sitting up suddenly as if she grew in size. Toriel is taken aback, not used to this emotion from Lily and confused by its cause. Toriel does wish for Lily to express herself, but to show such bile for something so trivial is strange to her.

"Lily, what is the matter? I haven't seen you like this. Please tell me." Toriel places the book away to give all her attention to Lily. With a lock of their eyes, any trace of anger within Lily vanishes as she retreats back to normal and shrinks beneath the covers. She turns quiet, as if Toriel never asked the question. Yet Toriel could not escape Lily's sudden tear-filled sight.

"I'm so-sorry, Miss Toriel. I just… just didn't like the story. Nope! Not at all. But you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. And I'll always listen to you like a good child should," Lily states in a matter of fact way, her lips move swiftly to cover her shaky start.

"Miss Toriel, I am very tired now, may I go to sleep now?" Lily says before Toriel could speak herself, adding in a long yawn and planting her face on her pillow to sell her point. Toriel wants to continue this conversation and learn what's happening to help her, but she does not wish to impose herself on Lily like she did before.

"Very well," Toriel says with great reluctance. "But in exchange." Toriel opens her arms to invite Lily; and after some hesitation, Lily buries herself within Toriel's arms. Tears wet her robe and Toriel cradles the small girl like a precious treasure. Lily is the exact opposite as she does not try to match Toriel's embrace.

Toriel kisses the girl lightly on her head before the two depart both stretching the action as much as possible. Lily lies back down and Toriel brings the covers to tuck her away. She leaves, but does not remove her sight from Lily until she reaches the door. "Good night Lily. May you have sweet dreams."

_And they bring you more joy then I._ Toriel closes her door and returns to the dining table, sighing as Toriel learns Lily barely touched her food, too lost in conversation to notice she is still eating alone. She wishes Lily would eat more; her appetite wanes with each day. Nevertheless, Toriel retrieves the food and stores them in the fridge as leftovers. She does this until she reaches the butterscotch pie.

"Well… she cannot spoil her dinner anymore, and I'm certain she will welcome a midnight treat." Toriel slices the pie into pieces and takes the biggest piece back to Lily's room, to leave it on the floor for her to discover and eat at her pleasure. Yet as she approaches the door, cries and words come from the other side.

"No… I'm sorry… I-I… didn't mean it." The words send a shock into Toriel that propels her into Lily's room to find no one at all. Instead, she finds a squirming girl shifting side to side in her bed with a grimacing face.

"Lily! What's wrong?" Toriel rushes to her side & leaves the pie on the nightstand, yet Lily does not notice her as she continues to stir in her sleep.

"No… don't go… I'm sorry! Please come back… Don't leave me!" Lily mutters with panic in her sleep.

"Please Lily, I came back. You don't have to be afraid." Toriel says but her words fall on sleeping ears.

"I should have listened… I didn't mean to do it… I'm sorry… Don't hate me! Please don't hate me!" Lily begs like a judge is about to give her a death sentence. She's desperate, with tears streaming across her face. Toriel gently stirs the girl to wake her up, but the effort is vain. Toriel is helpless, unable to stop Lily's sufferings.

"Please… I should have waited for you…Now wait for me… Please don't leave me alone! I'm sorry! NO! Don't go...! All my fault… my fault… I'm alone!" Lily pleads and for a moment Toriel freezes, clarity washes over Toriel, and at once, everything becomes obvious to her.

_You're not like her… You're not Chara… I am so very sorry, Lily. But do not worry; I have heard you,_ Toriel thought with growing warmth in her soul and a plan in her mind, ready to help Lily and to save her as well.

"Lily! You're not alone, I am here for you." Toriel stops stirring Lily. "Follow the sounds of my voice and you will find me. You are not alone and you are not hated here. So come along with me." Lily reawakens in a frenzy of gasps and shakes, unsure of where she is and what she said.

"Miss Toriel! Oh no… I didn't mean to disturb you… Please, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, and-" Toriel silences Lily with a finger to her lips.

"You have nothing to apologize for here and now Lily." Toriel takes Lily into her arms with a tender and loving embrace.

"Please Miss Toriel. You don't have to do this. I'm fine."

"I know you are." Toriel accepts her lie for now, needing a better place and time to reach her.

"But for now, I'm going to do this until I can't anymore. You are welcome to join me… or not." Toriel continues her long and great hug, and soon enough Lily could no longer resist. She wraps her arms around Toriel with a grip that puts Toriel to shame, her hold so strong it almost pains her; not that Toriel minds.

With Lily in her arms, Toriel plucks her out of the bed. "Miss Toriel, what are you doing?!"

"Nothing much, I just do not wish to be alone tonight. I get frightening nightmares; do you mind keeping me company, Lily?" Toriel asks, and Lily resists for a few moments, until she surrenders herself to Toriel.

"Sure, I can do that for you Miss Toriel." With that, she resigns herself to a cradle in Toriel's arms as she takes them to her room. All the while, Lily relishes Toriel's company and presence. "Thank you… Miss Toriel… Thank you for everything."

"You're very welcome, my precious Lily," With that, the two of them settle into Toriel's bed for a long, peaceful, and restful slumber ahead of them.

The Next Day

"Remember to stay close to me and do not stray from the path. We do not wish to get lost, do we?" Toriel fixes Lily's royal robes in the courtyard, wanting her to appear as presentable and harmless as possible.

"Of course not!" Lily says with the upmost urgency and attention. "Are you sure… it is safe?"

"You let me worry about that Lily, besides our destination is quite out of the way. I am confident once we get there, we will not be bothered. Now, let us be off." Toriel takes Lily's trembling hand in one and a watering pail in the other.

"Okay, Miss Toriel… I trust you." Toriel takes a reluctant Lily with her into the Ruins for the first time since her arrival.

She guides her through various chambers and corridors, making their way to Toriel's destination. All the way, they are greeted by many unwelcome stares and sneers from the monster populace. The more eyes that weight heavily upon Lily, the more Toriel slows to match Lily's pace to stay besides her. Toriel did not expect a welcome parade, nor could she blame her people for feeling the way they do; but she could not help feel a little disappointed in them.

Nevertheless, she continues, knowing as long as she upholds her part of the bargain, the monsters will tolerate Lily's presence. Yet she could tell from their scowls and resentment, their vows are being tested. For her sake, Toriel encourages Lily to move faster to reach where they need to go.

Until an insect monster runs up to Toriel. "Lady Toriel! Thank goodness you've returned! There's a problem! We need your… help?" His urgency diminishes as he spots Lily.

"I am quite occupied at the moment, can this wait?" Toriel says and directs Lily behind her legs.

"I can see that and I wish it could, but time isn't on our side. We haven't seen you in so long, Lady Toriel." Toriel frowns. With Lily occupying most of her time and attention she has been neglecting her duties to the monsters of the Ruins. She did not leave home often, or for very long, as she does not wish for Lily to be alone. But she has a duty to them, just as she does to Lily.

"Very well. Lily, we will go with him for a while. But don't worry, we'll get back as soon as we're finished. Is that alright?"

"That's fine. Whatever Miss Toriel wants," Lily says as she cowers behind her legs. With her approval, the monster leads them to a separate area of the Ruins, yet the scowls and sneers do not stop following them.

As it turns out, the incident does need her attention. A floor collapsed from age and a group of monsters are stranded at the bottom. Bystander monsters try their best to rescue them, but all lack the ability or tools to save them. Toriel places Lily aside at a safe distant, telling her not to move until she is done. Lily nods in agreement, while her eyes beg Toriel to not leave her alone, but both understand they must part for the present.

Toriel stares down at the collapsed floor, the monsters below crying out for help. She scans the walls until she finds what she wanted: a chute to the lower floor. Using the chute she slides to the lower floor and reached the trapped monsters. The monsters rush to her side, eager to thank her and for rescue. Lacking the strength to climb alone, Toriel takes one monster upon her shoulders and climbs through the chute.

It is a tight and cramped fit. Toriel struggles to crawl through the chute with the smaller monster on her person. With time and enough effort, Toriel brings the monster to the safety of the upper floor to cheers and applause. Needing neither to continue, Toriel travels down the chute to repeat the process again, and again, and again until she rescues every monster. The final rescue is met with thunderous congratulations. With the crisis over, all of her attention returns to Lily.

"Thank you all, but I must be off now. Bar this passage away from travel and I can-!" All of her glee and patience vanishes when she spots Lily, cowering away in a corner as three monsters surround her on every side. Toriel shoves her way through the crowd and marches to her child like a train.

"Please… Leave me alone." Lily says, unable to escape the trio of monsters whom surrounds her. Toriel recognizes one of them as the monster who lead the mob against her in the beginning.

"Oh, we'll leave you alone, but will you leave us alone… murderer?!"

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to do it…" They do not fight her, but she shields her face behind her arms.

"Oh, how convenient. Expect us to just forgive and forget while you plan your next murder!"

"Why did you do it? Tell us!" The monsters close the distance between themselves and her.

"I was scared…" Lily says on the verge of tears.

"Scared of what…? They were children and you killed them!"

"As is she!" Toriel announces and forces them away with word alone. The monsters back off as Toriel stands in-between them and Lily, not attempting to hide her displeasure at their behavior. "Now if your business is concluded, we will be off."

Toriel takes Lily away, giving the monsters no further consideration. She would not punish them, understanding where their anger comes from, but she would not allow them to act upon it. Yet in dragging Lily back to their destination, she couldn't stop the issue from returning to the forefront of her mind.

While she has accepted Lily into her home and heart, and Lily has gradually grown to accept her, the fact Lily killed those monsters weighs heavily on Toriel. It fills her with negative thoughts she does not want to consider. While she's confident Lily will not kill again, how it occurred to start and how to resolve this animosity are different questions. The answers elude Toriel like she evades the monsters of the Ruins to make their way to their destination.

"Here, Lily, come in front of me." Lily does as she says and Toriel covers her eyes.

"What are you doing Miss Toriel?"

"Just want to surprise you, my dear. This is one of my favorite places, and I know you will come to love it as I do." Toriel directs Lily from behind and guides her along to their destination. They make their way down the steps and across the foyer where they first met a month ago. By now the dust had been collected and removed, not that Lily needed to be reminded.

They continue down the corridor when Toriel brings them to a stop. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." She does so, and Toriel finds Lily stumbling backwards into her.

"What?! Here? Why are we here?" Lily is surprised to find herself back where it all ended, where she lost everything with a simple fall. The Golden Flower Bed, lying beneath a pillar of shining light from the Surface. Lily runs to cower behind her legs and for a moment, Toriel wonders if this is a mistake. She casts those thoughts aside, knowing what needs to be done to help Lily.

"This is one of my many errands, my favorite actually. Someone needs to take care of these flowers or they will perish. I cannot allow that to happen," Toriel says, but her words do not calm Lily. "I am glad to have your company, but do not worry. You can stop and wait here if you like. No one will bother you, and that includes myself if you desire it," Toriel says with a warm and inviting smile. With a sigh, Lily takes her hand and joins her.

"No, that's fine Miss Toriel, I'll go with you… They smell nice." Her voice stutters along with her body, Toriel could feel straining tension in her hand. Toriel grabs her shoulder to reassure Lily, giving her the support she needs to return to the golden flower bed, along with her silence in full strength. Giving her time to adjust, Toriel waters the golden flowers with her water pail.

"My, are they a beautiful sight. I never tire of coming here to take care of them. They need love and company you know, if they are to survive in a place as dark and lonesome as this one. They have each other, and perhaps that is enough. But I will always be there for them, whenever they need me. Even after all this time, I'm still here." Toriel says, her voice heavy with affection and nostalgic. "What do you think of them?"

Lily remains quiet for a long time, staring at the opening high above them to the surface with longing. She remains silent long enough Toriel believes Lily has decided to ignore her once again. Then her face turns down. "They remind me of home. In the garden we had red roses… Blue tulips… White dandelions… But we never had any Golden Flowers. I wished we did." Lily's voice is meager and dies into a whisper.

"Lily, I have no doubt you were the most beautiful flower in that entire garden." Toriel hands her the water pail, with a small smile Lily waters the plants. They take turns to water the flowers, often, they splash each other, and Toriel could have sworn she heard a laugh. Eventually, she decides the time has come to tell Lily what they both need to hear.

"You know these flowers did not come from the Underground. Would you like to know how they got here?"

"Really? How did they get down here?" Lily asks and Toriel takes a heavy gulp, knowing the words but underestimating how hard it would be to say them, even after all this time. But for the sake of her children and herself, she will say them.

"They were brought here. From the surface… by… My children… When they died." Toriel does not know who is more shocked, herself or Lily.

"Oh my gosh! I-I'm so sorry Miss-" Toriel brings a finger to her lips.

"No-No. You don't have to apologize; you played no part there. If anyone here is responsible, it should be me. I should have been there to watch over them. To help them. To save them. But I wasn't," Toriel says as water drips from the pail and from her eyes.

"You don't have to say this if you don't want to-"

"No, I need to say this. It hasn't been said in such a long time, and I need to stop remaining silent on the matter… Asriel and Chara were beautiful, more beautiful than any flower. But a mistake was made… and now I am here to take good care of them." Her words drag her into an abyss, far deeper and darker than any corner of the Underground. Yet light comes in the form of Lily as she takes Toriel's hand to water the flowers together, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Tell me more," Lily, almost afraid to ask, says.

"Asriel was mine. If he was here, I know he would say that he is too afraid, too weak, and too young to do anything. He was a timid and naive child, but he held a heart far larger than any of us. He cared and loved all of us, friend, family, foe, and stranger; without question. He may have doubted himself, but I never doubted that he would have grown into a fine, strong, and great monster." Toriel says with a twinkle and tears in her eyes.

"As for Chara, she was not mine, but I loved her as she was. Asriel was the one who found her and he brought here to us and our home. She was more than quite a handful, always two steps ahead of me and never afraid to speak her mind. She got herself and Asriel into quite a lot of trouble, always on the search for adventure and determined to find it. She was certainly rough around the edges, but I never doubted her love for us. They were quite the pair together, almost inseparable, and they became our hopes and dreams." Toriel finishes and to her relief, the weight of the world strapped to her back became slightly lighter.

"Wow… They sound really amazing. I wished I could have met them!"

"As do I, I knew you three would have become the best of friends." Toriel says and cradles Lily's face.

"Please don't tell me the ending. I don't want to know it."

"I'm sorry, but it's too late for that. You told me the ending yourself last night." Her words leave Lily with a look of confusion.

"I told them to stay in the Underground. To wait until Dr. Gaster returned to take care of her sickness. But they didn't listen to me. I do not know what happened or why. But they combined their power and created a miracle. They walked past the Barrier and reached the Surface. But the humans did not welcome them. With their final act, they returned to us. But by the time we found them, they were gone. The only things left were Golden Flower Seeds."

"I-I don't know what to say. I don't understand. If they didn't listen to you, why do you miss them so much?" She asks, desperate to know the answer.

"Because I loved them, and I still do! Yes, they made a great and terrible mistake when they disobeyed me, but I would never hate them for it. No worthwhile parent will hate their child simply for disobeying them… nor should children despise themselves for the same act," Toriel says to Lily, locking with her eyes, burrowing into her soul.

"All I would want for them is to learn from their mistakes and be better than the person they were before." Silence falls between them. With locked eyes and frozen bodies, they enter another waiting game. Unlike their previous rounds, this one lasts seconds as Lily throws herself into Toriel's arms with open tears.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I was so awful to you. All you did was try to help me, and I said and did so many terrible things to you. Please I'm sorry!" Lily shouts and cries into Toriel's robes. Toriel gives her a boundless hug; one she hopes will never end. She breaks them apart just enough to stare into each other's eyes.

"I will accept your apology, but only if you accept mine. I must confess. I greatly missed Asriel and Chara. I still do." Her voice shatters into pieces. "When I met you, I believed my loneliness was gone and I could relive those days with you. I was wrong to do that. I was wrong to conceal the truth from you and to ignore your pleas for my sake. So, will you please forgive a silly old goat like me?"

Toriel's heart melts when she finds Lily crying, not tears of anguish, but tears of joy with an enormous smile engraved upon her face. Without any words, they embrace each other and stay there for what may as well have been hours or days. Not that either of them would have minded.

1 Week Later

"I hope it works this time." Lily says with oven mitts and a cooking apron over her new clothes. They knitted it together, fusing her old Sunday dress and a pair of royal robes. It was her first time knitting and Lily is not very good with her hands. It took quite a few stitches to get it right. Eventually, Toriel had to finish her sloppy work. Now she tries her hand at cooking, patiently waiting for the pie in the oven to finish.

"Do not worry Lily. I am sure it will turn out just fine. Third's time the charm fire all."

"But that was 2 tries ago. What if it doesn't work?" Toriel sighs as another pun flies over Lily's head.

"Have some confidence in yourself. Besides, there is always next time," Toriel says with a pat to Lily's back. They both wait out the timer on the stove, counting down each and every second until the pie is ready. Yet both of them are smiling.

After so much noise at first and even more silence afterwards, they found the right volume after their return from the Ruins. The spark within Lily grows brighter and bigger with each day. She speaks more words, eats more food, and does more things around Home, and all with greater energy & interest than before. She is still frail and timid at times, but she no longer acts like a being past their expiration date.

Lily allows herself to be happy and to show it, to ask Toriel for help when she is sad, and while they would occasionally argue, they always forgive each other before the wound deepens. They become closer than glue and gum, not that Toriel minds spending all her time at Home with Lily. The idea of learning knitting and cooking is all Lily's initiative, eager for any new activity to learn. Toriel is all too willing to help, but their favorite activity is without a doubt watering the Golden Flowers or the tree in the courtyard.

Problems between them ceased and they are now mostly at peace. The greatest obstacle exists not between them but outside in the Ruins. While they enjoy each other's company, the comforts of Home do wear thin after a while. The incident in the Ruins convinced Lily and Toriel that monsters are not ready to forgive her. To her regret, Toriel finds herself unable to forget the fact Lily did, in fact, kill. She hides those thoughts well enough for their sakes, along with the toy knife deep in her pockets.

Her thoughts break with the oven timer's ringing and a cheer from Lily. They open the stove before Toriel stands aside to allow Lily to extract the pie with her oven mitt hands. The first pie ended on the floor, the second burnt to ashes, the third had too much milk and was turned into soup, and now both are eager to consume this pie.

"Now I know why Chef Harrison was always so busy. If I knew cooking was this hard, I would have never left the kitchen either." Lily baby steps her way to the table, and with a careful hand, she places the pie away. She leaps into the air with cheer the first time and Toriel catches her on the second leap before giving her a swing through the air.

"I did it! I finally did it!"

"Yes, you did, Lily! Congratulations. I knew you could do it." Toriel drops Lily as they encircle the pie with waiting tongues, ready to ready to devour at their leisure. They slice the pie into pieces and each takes their own to their mouths to take a bite. After their tongues are set on fire, they spit the contents of their mouth to the floor and gasp for breath to cool their burning mouths. "What seasoning did you use?"

"Cinnamon! That's the right one to use, right?" Lily runs to the table to pick up the cinnamon container and returns it to Toriel; however she finds not cinnamon, but pepper seasoning. Toriel conceals her sigh, realizing both seasonings are contained within small and nearly identical glass jars.

"Oh… I messed up …again," Lily says, almost defeated, but Toriel playfully rubs her head.

"We can try again later, although perhaps this is enough for today," Toriel notices the lack of ingredients to make another pie. "I will visit the marketplace soon to get more."

"You're just going to wait for me to go asleep again. Please, Miss Toriel, I'll be fine on my own for a little while."

"I know, but I don't want to take that risk yet. Oh, please forgive me, my precious Lily."

"Well there's something else we could do… I could go with you. At least we will be together that way," Lily says, and the choice gives Toriel serious thought. The agreement she had with the monsters for Lily's passage remains in effect and it would make things convenient. But on the other hand, she worries over how her people will treat Lily. Even with her assurances and words, they could not forget the murders, nor forgive Lily.

This changes when she gazes upon Lily smiling face, bursting with anticipation. With a heavy heart, she reaches her choice. "Very well, but do not forget. You must-"

"Stay with you. Yes, I know," Lily says but Toriel shakes her head side to side.

"No, not that," Toriel props on her feet and hands, stretching her back out for Lily. "You must ride your pony to the exit." With a triumphant cheer Lily jumps onto Toriel and she takes her to the exit. Despite a having a straight line to the exit, Toriel makes many circles and charges to their mutual delight. With her small size and smaller weight, Toriel does not mind playing pony if it means bringing Lily happiness, however she does make a mental note to find a replacement when she gets older.

"Faster and faster!"

"As you command!" They ride their way to the exit, filling the air with the sounds of their cheers and laughter, only then do they return to their feet and exit hand in hand. However as they cross the archway separating the courtyard from the rest of the Ruins, Lily comes to a sudden stop. Her face is mildly stunned, overcome with visible hesitation, and unable to take a single step forward.

Toriel brings her hand to her face to look at her. "Do not worry, everything will be fine." Toriel promises and with a small smile on Lily's face, they exit into the Ruins.

Despite her promise, it does not take long before doubt and disappointment return to fill Lily and Toriel. Like before, the monsters remain coldly dismissive or passive aggressive in their interactions. Monsters avoid looking directly at them, their speeds suddenly increase when their paths cross, and what few words they exchange are overly formal and devoid of pleasantries. And it is abundantly clear where the majority of their ire falls upon. Yet despite not being the focus, walking a few inches beside her, makes the apprehension in the air impossible not to notice. Like Lily is a powerful magnet attracting all the attention and anxiety in the room, Toriel cannot avoid them as they collide into her.

The atmosphere only slightly dissipates when they enter the Market Place, and mainly because there is so much activity, that they are able to escape the attention of most. An effort made easier by the fact that unless Toriel is bringing direct business, they are easy to ignore by all the rest. Neither knows which is worse, the silent treatment from most or the stonewall faces that speak with cold voices from the few. It makes Toriel wonder if this is what their life is going to be like from now on, and the thought saddens her to the same level as Lily.

_Will time heal this wound, or is this a scar that will never fade?_ With an exhaustive sigh, Toriel wastes no time in receiving her goods and supplies for another 6 attempts worth of pies. Giving quick goodbyes, she takes Lily away with her and back into the Ruins. Thankfully their return trip proves to be far more leisurely, as the stone corridors and chambers are considerably more empty. Although the same could not be said for Lily, as Toriel reads her face, her features uncertain and heavy with contemplation.

"Is there anything you would like to discuss, Lily?" For a while she remains quiet, much like how she was before they watered the Golden Flowers for the first time, then she finds the will to speak her mind.

"Do you really think I have a place here, Miss Toriel?" Lily asks.

"Of course I do. The Ruins will need those like you once my best days are behind me. We just need to find a place for you to fill. Well, once you get older, and I prepare you, of course. Then you can choose your place here."

"But nobody likes me. And… I mean it's not like I don't understand why," She says with regret.

"Times heals all wounds, Lily, especially when you have someone to share the time with. Do not worry your little head off. Another month or two, and the others will accept you. Just you wait and see," Toriel says, but finds Lily staring off at a group of monsters who turned away from when they notice her presence.

"I wish I could be more like you Miss Toriel. You're always so sure, but what if I'm like this forever? What if I don't get any better?"

"Lily, you know that is not true. If you have not gotten better already, then you can go-at them until they see as you as I do now." They share a brief chuckle.

"You know, it's kind of funny. If you went back in time and told me back at home that I would be doing half of this stuff, well…okay, I probably would have run away from you crying like a big baby."

"To be fair, if I were suddenly on the surface, I would be too busy digging an escape tunnel back here." They share another laugh.

"Well, after you finish your tunnel, caught me, calmed me down, and then you told me I would be doing half of this stuff on my own, I would have thought you were the craziest person ever. Mother and Father certainly would not have allowed it." Her statement takes Toriel off-guard, since Lily rarely speaks about the Surface on her own, and finds her parent's decision strange.

"How so? Surely they would have taught you to look after yourself?"

"They always said doing stuff like this wasn't my place; it was beneath me. That's why they hired the staff to take care of me, so I could have more time to be ready for their grownup stuff, I guess. I had no idea how hard most of this stuff was until I met you, Miss Toriel. They had a lot of rules for all of us, now that I think about it."

"Well, if they did not allow you to look after yourself, what did they expect from you?"

"I don't know. They said I was too young to understand right now, but they would tell me once I got older. They just told me it would be the most important thing I could for the family, and they would help me get ready. Honestly, I never asked them that much about it, because, it always kind of scared me." Lily lets loose a shutter as she shakes.

"What made you afraid?" Lily remains silent for a time, until she comes to speak.

"They might not have told me, but I think I got a hint whenever they invited their friends' kids to our house. Those times were always the worst. I thought we were going to have fun together, like with the staff and their kids, but it was just more dumb rules and snobby jerks. They said I had to be a proper lady, which I guess means doing everything grownups told me to do: stand straight, don't speak out of turn, walk like a fine lady…" Lily produces a mocking voice.

"Oh, and we have to play this dumb ball game where we hit them into rings with giant hammers. But I wanted to use the hammer to smash their kids' faces. They all acted like kings and princes, but they were jerks to me and the staff. One of them spilled their drink 'by accident' and said it was my future job to clean it up. I only did it because I knew they would have made Mrs. Norris use her clothes to clean it until they made her cry." The anger in her voice is subdued, but unavoidable.

"That's awful! I cannot believe such a thing could happen." Toriel says with a hand to cover her gasp.

"Me neither! I could never believe father and mother were fine with all of this. But it made them happy, so I did it for them. Mother and Father promised I would understand when I got older. Well, I'm older now, and I still have so many questions. Like why was I always the only girl? And why couldn't we do literally anything else?!" Toriel is coldly disturbed by her household, yet finds some aspects of it strangely familiar.

_Well Asgore… I suppose you could have been far worse when we were that age_. Toriel thought.

"Guess I'll never know what they wanted for me." Lily says with a sigh. "I wish I could see them one more time. Just long enough to say that I'll be okay with you and good-bye." She says but with no warmth to her voice, in fact there seems to be a hint of relief.

Toriel responds by grabbing her shoulder to reassure Lily. "I am sure they wish the same."

"Yeah I'm sure they do." Lily says with disbelief. "What do you want for me Miss Toriel?"

"Whatever pleases you the most, Lily." Toriel says without any hesitation. "I simply wished the Ruins had more to offer for you."

"Don't worry, Miss Toriel, I'll find a way to make it work." With those words, the future in Toriel's mind turns darker, unable to see what lies ahead. Yet it feels brighter and warmer at the same time. She envisions herself, but not in Home. Instead she is in a frozen forest, Lily stands ahead of her. But not the child she is now, she is fully grown and ready to forge a new path.

A path for herself and all the Underground to follow.

"I am looking forward to it already." Toriel shifts her hand to Lily's back, supporting her where ever she goes. She is ready to catch her whenever she may fall but reluctant to let go when Lily no longer requires it. They continue walking through corridors and chambers back to Home. The Ruins are oddly quiet and empty. A serene peace falls over them as there are no longer any words or glances of rejection standing in their way.

That is, until they approach the courtyard, where a mob of monsters are assembled, waiting and crying out for Toriel. Fear takes hold of Toriel, having no idea why they would be here in such large numbers. In response, she takes a hold of Lily as she goes limp with dread on her face. "Do not worry, I will protect you."

"There she is!" The monsters cry out as Toriel's considerable height betrays their position. The mob charges at them, and Toriel fears the worse has finally come at last. And she is correct.

"Lady Toriel! We've made a horrible mistake!"

"There's a child in peril! They're going to die!"

"Please help us, Lady Toriel! We are running out of time!"

They surround Toriel and Lily from every direction, all begging, crying, and pleading for help as they pull or lead her elsewhere. Even Lily's presence could not deter them away. With so many movements and words all at once, Toriel's head spins in circles to make sense of the frenzy.

"Enough! Please one at a time. I cannot keep track of all of you at once. What is happening?" Her words do not stop their panic, but they do make them see reason. They settle down and speak more concisely than before, but retain their high sense of urgency.

"Lady Toriel! I promise we had the best of intentions. You see we repaired one of the old Traps in the Ruins to protect us!"

"But a child wandered in and activated it by accident. And now they're trapped and can't escape!"

"We need you Lady Toriel! You're the only one strong enough to save them! We have to hurry! Otherwise... it'll be too late!"

Their words shock Toriel into action. "My goodness, please take us there immediately!"

"We only need you, Lady Toriel. The human will just get in-"

"You will take us there now!" Her command blasts away their complaints and leaves no room for argument. The monsters capitulate and guide Toriel and Lily. En route to their destination, Toriel could feel Lily's anxiety like a sponge in the middle of an ocean. Toriel remains close to provide her with comfort, something Lily relishes as she finds herself in a flowing river of monsters.

They arrive at their destination and their breaths are stolen away, leaving Toriel and Lily stunned, fighting to keep their jaws from dropping at the scene before them.

"Mommy! Help me please! I don't want to be dust!" A beetle monster cries, hanging veraciously from the tips of his mandibles on the edge of a pit fall trap. He fights with all his might to remain motionless and upright. Toriel hates these pit fall traps, finding their deceptive nature cruel and lacking any cushion to soften their fatal falls. What makes the situation far worse is the presence of a pale blue crystal, bathing the corridor in light like a star.

"You infused Cyan Magic into that crystal! Are you mad?! What were you trying to do?!" Toriel didn't mean to be so forceful, but containing her anger is an impossible feat.

"We're sorry, Lady Toriel! We were going to test the trap! But he snuck in behind us when we weren't looking! It was an accident."

"An accident! One wrong move could end him! If this is an accident, I don't ever want to know what one of your mistakes will look like! What were you thinking?!" Toriel demands and many monsters are surprised by her aggression.

"We couldn't stand by and wait. We had to do something to protect ourselves. We never meant for this to happen."

"Protect ourselves from what?!" Toriel asks and afraid to know.

"From me right?" All attention turns to Lily. "You made this trap for me. Am I wrong?" No one speaks a word, and that is all the answer Toriel needs to know the truth. She knows their feelings towards Lily, but she could never imagine they would go this far.

"Enough, we will discuss this later." Toriel turns from the crowd and enters the corridor to save the child. Yet the instant second she crosses into the pale blue light, a sharp stinging pain forces her into retreat.

"Miss Toriel! What's wrong?!" Lily rushes to her side.

"Cyan Magic. If you act when the time is wrong, it will harm you. But if you remain patient and wait for the right time to act, you can endure it with no harm at all. But we don't have time to wait!"

"What are we going to do?!" Lily says along with many murmurs and cries from the crowd of monsters.

"Do not worry. I am a Boss Monster. I am more durable than most Monsters. I will be fine." Toriel enters the pale blue corridor and the pain returns with a stinging vengeance. She could tolerate it in small bursts, but prolonged exposure is another matter. She wishes she could destroy the crystal from afar with her fire magic, but the cyan magic will dissipate any flame in motion.

Before she could take another step, Lily yanks her back. "Miss Toriel. Boss Monsters might be stronger than normal monsters, but what about humans?"

"Absolutely not. You will stay here where it is safe and that is final!" Toriel commands but Lily disagrees.

"Miss Toriel, that magic will hurt you and its hurting that kid right now. I know it'll hurt me too, but this trap was made for me. As bad as it's for me, it'll be a lot worse for monsters!" Lily pulls on Toriel's robes with strength beyond a mere child.

"Lily, this is not your responsibility. I am the caretaker of the Ruins. This is my duty." Toriel tries to free herself, but to her surprise, she finds it a struggle to escape Lily's intense grip.

"You don't have to do everything alone. I can help you Miss Toriel! I want to help you!" Lily cries as this tug of war between them continues.

"Please, Lily, there is no time to argue," Toriel pleads and is suddenly released as the mob of monster collectively gasp in shock.

"I agree." Before Toriel could realize what happen. She finds Lily in the corridor where her face twists into a grimace of mild anguish from the cyan magic. The sight leaves Toriel and all the monsters stunned. "See no problem at all. I can do this Miss Toriel."

"Please come back, Lily!" Toriel reaches for her, but she merely pulls back to shake her head no.

"Don't worry, I'll be back, and I won't be alone." Lily shambles her way across deeper into the corridor. She is unable to run, and shakes with every step she takes. Toriel wants to reach out and pull her back to safety, but instead places her trust within Lily. With a sudden realization, she reaches into her pockets.

"Wait, take this!" Lily turns around and Toriel nearly cries to find restrained agony drawn on her face, yet she throws Lily her toy knife, to cries of disapproval from the mob of monsters. Lily catches the knife and nods, unable to speak and resumes her trek to save the monster child. The sight of her trek drops stones into Toriel's heart, helpless as Lily travels deeper into the corridor.

At first, she is able to muster a confident but shambling walk.

Then she bends over to grab her chest, struggling to stand.

Then she collapses onto her knees and elbows to crawl across the ground.

And finally, she plummets to the ground and slides her way across inch by inch.

The Cyan Magic shines above with every move Lily takes, beating down on her and the monster child with the fury of an unrelenting sun. To Toriel's horror, Lily collapses and goes limp mere inches away from the monster child. Yet to her astonishment, Lily braces herself onto her elbows, the crystal dead in her sights.

"Don't worry kid, I'm here for ya." Lily pulls out her toy knife and takes aim. She throws it high into the air and falls short, leaving the knife a distance away from her to retrieve. She does, but in a grueling pace and agonizing manner. Toriel could not even start to imagine the pain coursing in her veins. All she knows is she would have fallen by now.

"When this over, we'll have lots of fun together." Lily says to the monster child, before making her second attempt and this time she aims too far and overshoots the crystal. Sending her on another crawling trip to retrieve the toy knife, a trip where every second is pure torture for both of them.

"Please, Lily, you've done more than enough. Let me finish!" Toriel enters the corridor to save the both of them. The pain assaults her from every direction in an unrelenting tide, like burning pinchers shoved into every nerve ending. Toriel stops every few feet to stop the pain, but the sight of Lily in peril is all she needs to continue. The monsters witnessing this scene are all in complete disbelief at the sight before all of them.

Yet as Toriel reaches the midway point, Lily raises her arm, unable to move any other piece of herself. "Don't worry Miss Toriel. I'm fine! Aghhh!"

Lily throws the toy knife into the air and collapses face first onto the ground. Toriel spots the toy knife as it heads straight for the crystal and crashes into it with a thunderous boom that shatters it into pieces. The Cyan magical field dissipates, freeing all of them from its painful hold.

"Lily!" Toriel cries in a voice that shakes the mountain. She runs to her side, finding Lily limp and motionless on the ground. No longer having to fear movement, the monster child returns to the safety of the floor. The mob of monsters all rush inside to join the scene.

"Lily! Are you alright?! Please speak to me!" Toriel cradles Lily within her arms, pouring green magic into her as tears fall on her face. Lily remains silent and unfazed by her actions and pleas. The monsters surround the two of them, all wearing faces of guilt and remorse. Not that Toriel could notice as Lily remains unresponsive, her heart beating slower, and her breathing fainter.

"Please, Lily! Come back to me! I don't want to be alone! I don't you to be alone, either! Don't go where I cannot follow! Please come back to me, my child!" Toriel cries, burying her face within her robed torso and she would have remained there until the end of time.

That is, until a hand rubs her horns.

"See… I told you… I'd be fine… Mother." Lily says and Toriel's heart explodes into joy.

"Welcome back, my child!"

"Nice to be home!" Lily says in pain, but alive and healthy.

"You did very well, Lily. Take a rest. You've been through so much already," Toriel places Lily upon the ground so she can rest and kneels over her to watch over her.

"She saved me! She's my hero!" The monster beetle child approaches Lily and inspects her hair ribbon. Toriel welcomes him with her hand and Lily's face turns a vibrant red, almost like a sweet red apple.

"And my hero as well." Toriel repeats, but her words are almost drowned out by the cheers of celebration from the monsters. At least until Toriel silences them so Lily could rest in peace. They accept her request, and one by one the monsters assemble in a line to give their thanks or apologies. Lily says their words are not necessary, but she smiles and takes all of them anyway, and all under the careful watch of Toriel.

Many monsters come to visit and pay their respects to Lily and what she did. Even the one eyed monster that so bitterly opposed her stay in the Ruins apologizes to her for his actions and words. Any sense of fear or dread in their eyes or intention vanishes, and Toriel knows they will never return. Not if she had anything to do with it.

From a river of monsters to a trickle, almost every monster in the Ruins visited Lily. They want to see Lily, to hug Lily, and to laugh with Lily. Everything and anything they could to make her happy. The two that never left her side are Toriel and the child she saved. That is until, she arrives.

"Mommy!" The beetle monster runs off as his mother arrives to retrieve him. They leap at each other and twirl in a swinging hug. To Toriel's surprise, she knew this monster as well.

"My precious baby! You're alive! When I heard what happened! I was so afraid! I thought you fell down to join your brother."

"I was really scared too mommy. But you're not gonna believe it. The human. Her name is Lily. She saved me."

"I know. I had to see it for myself." The mother beetle says and takes herself to Lily and Toriel, a hesitation in her step and a hint of uncertainly on her brave face. "I heard what you did and I wanted to say-"

"I was scared." Lily says to them, catching both of them off-guard. "I did something real stupid. I didn't know where I was or what was going to happen. I was really scared. I thought I was going to be trapped down there forever… alone… But I wasn't alone," Her voice takes on a deathly chill.

"I didn't know who they were. What they wanted. And I didn't care. I was just so scared. I didn't want to hurt. I wanted the hurt to stop. So I hurt them before they could… talk… do anything… I didn't let them." Her voice breaks into pieces as she speaks, leaving Toriel and all the monsters stunned by her confession.

"I did a really bad thing to you… and everyone else. There's no excuse for what I did. So please don't say thank you to me. But if you're willing to give me a second chance, I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I did. And I promise it won't happen ever again." Lily says, her voice stronger than ever before, but mixed with fragility, ready for rejection.

Silence consumes the corridor and everyone, long enough for all involved to dread what will come next but short enough the shock of moment is not lost. With tears in her eyes, the beetle mother smiles.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you… Thank you for saving my son… Lily." With those words, tears come to all of their eyes and all come to the same conclusion. No one could top that encounter, and no one tired. Toriel decides all this activity is enough for a single day, and picks up Lily to take her away.

"Wait!" The beetle child monster says. "I really like that red shiny thing in your hair. Can I have it?" Lily smirks and reaches to untie her hair free, allowing it to go unruly and free. Lily hands the hair ribbon to the monster and he takes it with glee and excitement. He runs off with the ribbon flying from his hand like a banner with his mother in pursuit.

"That was a very great thing you did, Lily. I want you to know that. I am so proud of you, my child." Toriel takes Lily into her arms, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Mother… You don't mind if I call you that… do you?"

"Call me whatever you wish, my child," Toriel says as warmth overspills from her heart and voice, every burden on her shoulder disappearing.

Later that Day

"I am sorry, but Lily is no longer taking visitors today, she needs her rest to recover from her ordeal. But I will give your words to her." Toriel addresses a crowd of monsters assembled in front of her home. They wanted to pay their respects, give well wishes, or make introductions to her. While Toriel is glad to witness this outpouring of support, she knows this is not the place or time. However, she is confident there will be many more opportunities in the future.

She closes the door behind her, leaving the Ruins at peace and their home silent. Now content, Toriel returns to Lily to check in on her before they can depart for sleep. She finds her lying on her bed waiting with a smile, and Toriel eagerly joins her.

"Everything alright, my child? You had quite the big and busy day. My, aren't you full of surprises," Toriel says as she tucks Lily into bed.

"Yeah, I guess I am…" To Toriel's surprise, her face turns downcast along with her voice. "Do you mind knowing one more?"

"One more surprise, what is it?" Toriel asks, curious to learn, but grows worried when Lily's face is overcome with a shield of shame. Turning silent, Toriel wonders if she is going to change her mind, until she breaks it with a resigned sigh.

"You want to know the last thing Mother and Father told me? 'For Gods' sake, Lily, stay here. Listen to us for once in our lives. Don't you know we want what's best for you? So wait here until we come back…' That was the last time I ever saw them." Lily goes silent and somber.

"It was another one of those trips I told you about, but things were different this time. They took me to this banker friend of theirs, some creepy man in a bad blue suit, and they said I was going to stay with him for awhile. I trusted them, but I didn't know who this guy was and I didn't want to be with him and they wouldn't tell me for how long. Even now, all I remember were those dead eyes of his, following me around like a creep." Her voice is strained and aches with pain. Toriel gives her a brief but strong hug, unable to believe or understand why any parent would do this to their child.

"I couldn't stand it, but they said I had to. So I could be 'educated', whatever the heck that means. And while all of this was happening, we were in the most beautiful place in the whole world. The mountain camp site was so gorgeous. The forest was so green and the air so fresh, I never felt anything like it before. Not even our garden was this good. I didn't want to wait for them and do whatever they wanted. I wanted to have fun… just one last time."

"So you ignored their wishes."

"Yes, I did. The only good thing about that creep was that he let me go. I explored the forest, walked a mountain trail, found a cave, and I didn't see the hole until I was falling. If I was a good lady and listened to them like they wanted—just waited and been patient— I never would have ended up down here."

"So that's what brought you to us."

"Yes… I tried so hard to make it their fault… your fault… anyone's. But I have no one else to blame but myself." Her voice is light as air, like a heavy burden had been removed.

"They must hate me right about now." Her face drops to the ground, until Toriel lifts her to lock eyes with her.

"I do not know much about your parents, Lily. To be honest, I do not wish to know more than I already do. But if your parents truly did love you, they will not hate you for disobeying them. And if they do, then they do not deserve the title."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I love you, my child, and I always will." Her words banish Lily's uncertainty and fear, replacing it with a warm smile. The two of them reach out to embrace each other.

"Thank you for everything, Mother."

"And thank you for everything, too, my child."

1 Year and 11 Months Later

"Mother, I'm home!" With those words, glee comes to Toriel's heart. Eager to have her child home after a long afternoon of playing with the monster children of the Ruins. As Lily grows older, Toriel has grown more comfortable with her acting on her own without immediate supervision. Not that it is necessary as the number of monsters who adore and follow Lily also grows by the day. Toriel often entrusts Lily to watch over the Ruins in her place, confident she will not only succeed her, but surpass her.

But for the moment, she is happy to have Lily home.

"Mother! Where are you? I have so many fun things to tell you and…" Their eyes meet and are rendered speechless by what they find.

Despite seeing her a few hours ago, Toriel could not help but be surprised by the many ways she is different. Lily is taller, her robes fit her quite nicely, and her face is more refined while bearing some marks of childhood. Toriel loves pinching her plump cheeks no matter how many times she tells her to stop. But deep down in her heart, she is very much the same girl who fell into the Underground two years ago. That is what she intends to celebrate with the frosted cake.

"Mother! What is all this for?!" Lily reaches the table and takes a seat, overlooking the cake with curious anticipation. "Not that I am complaining at all."

"Two years, my child. It has been two years since the day we first met. I know that day was rather difficult for the both of us, but I wanted to honor that day and to share it with you."

"Really? I had no idea it was today!" She gazes at the cake, awestruck by the light of the candles shining across her eyes. "I can't believe it's been that long already."

"Here, I believe you are ready to use this on your own now." Toriel picks up a knife, previously barred to Lily, she hands her one without complaint. It brings delight to Lily.

"Wow! I can't believe this! Thank you so much for this! I can't wait to dig in!" By the way her arm hangs high above her head. She can tell she plans to it cleave into the cake. Toriel raises her hand to stop her when- "Ah! Fooled you!"

Lily chuckles and lowers the knife and cuts two small pieces from the cake. Each piece has one candle in the center. "Well, my child, blow out the candle and make a wish."

Lily closes her eyes and does so without hesitation, to Toriel's surprise. "Well, that was brief."

"Want to know what I wished for?" Lily says, quite eager to share it with Toriel.

"But if you tell me, it will not come true."

"You don't have to worry about that, mother, because I didn't wish for anything," She says with a warm smile and beaming eyes. "I already have everything I need."

Toriel's heart melts, but she could not shake a piece of doubt from her mind. "Truly! I am so happy to hear that. But is there really nothing you wish to have?"

"Nope. Just this cake! Let's dig in!" Lily says and does not restrain herself from enjoying the cake to full capacity, a task Toriel is all too happy to join her in. To share this moment as they have shared their lives together these past two years, and Toriel could not have chosen a better companion to have at her side. Their tortured growing pains a distant memory of the past, overshadowed by far too much joy, kindness, and love.

While Lily did occasionally go sullen, missing the sights and smells of the Surface, she had long and reluctantly accepted the Ruins as her new home and the monsterkind as her new family. A journey made far easier thanks to Toriel's many efforts. Together they explored the Ruins and its many secrets, befriended many monsters, and enjoyed many celebrations and festivals of both human and monster origin.

However if there is one thing would make Lily leap back to the Surface, it would be her home's staff: Her caretaker Mrs. Norris, the head Chef Harrison, and the groundskeeper Mr. Hardy. She missed them dearly and terribly, always spoke fondly of them and their children, and Toriel would often catch her reminiscing about them. After hearing all her words, Toriel admits she would love to have known them.

The same could not be said for her parents, for either of them. As time passed, mentions of her parents became ever more stray & infrequent, and when they did occur they came with ever increasing contempt. Toriel knew very little of them beyond their great wealth and plans for their daughter, and she did not wish to know more than she already did. A request, Lily was all too happy to honor. But they are in past, Toriel is here with her in the present, and they both had a future to share and look forward to.

"Well, I am pleased to hear that, and you should be pleased that I plan to leave you in charge of Home in the times to come."

"Really? You think I'm ready to lead all of Home?" Lily cannot contain her excitement.

"Of course not, my child," Toriel adds with a chuckle. "But that does not mean we cannot start to work on your preparations. You may not be ready for Home, but perhaps you can manage our home instead. I have quite a few things to do in the Ruins tomorrow. You can rule over our home in my stead."

"Well only if you insist, mother." She says with a cheeky smile and they enjoy their cake together. "You must really like chocolate, don't you, mother?"

"I gained a liking for it, thanks to a very special someone. I hope you enjoy it, as well." And they did as it does not take long before the cake is reduced to crumbs. With their bellies satisfied, she departs to finish her final surprise: a record player she recovered from a dumping ground in the Ruins. They had a very limited selection from which to choose from, but Toriel found a way to make it work.

As the record spins, an upbeat and cool music Lily called jazz starts to play and her feet already hit the floor running. "May I have this dance?"

"Yes, you can." They respond with bows before breaking out into dance. Toriel is awkward and hamstring in her movements, unable to keep up with her child, while Lily dances with a fluid and chaotic grace, following the flow of the music and wherever it takes her, whether that is across the floor, into the kitchen, atop of the coach, or swinging around Toriel's arms. Toriel tires easily, but for the sake of Lily's happiness, she continues until the end of the song.

Not that that would be enough for Lily as she dances long after the completion of the entire record and well past the point of exhaustion. For once, and only once, Toriel could relate to Lily's parents, unable to stop the girl with her boundless energy and movement. With a plop on the couch, Toriel takes a short-lived break… until Lily throws herself onto her lap.

"Come on, Mother, we are celebrating; you can't give up now!"

"If we keep celebrating, your mother is going to be broken. Please let that be enough for today."

"Oh, alright then," Lily says with a pouty face and takes a seat beside her. "But only because it's for you."

"Thank you, my child." Toriel says, and for a long while, Lily remains silent until she breaks.

"No, thank you, mother. For everything you've done for me. I didn't know what I was going to find when I fell down here. I certainly didn't know what was going to happen after… well, you know what," Lily says with a frown, and Toriel pulls the girl to her to reassure her and Lily rests her head upon Toriel's lap.

"But you… you never gave up on me. You gave me everything I could have ever asked for. No one else would have done that, surface or underground, human or monster. Just you…" She turns her face to look up at Toriel.

"So thank you for being my favorite and bestest person in the world!" Lily says and Toriel's heart would have melted had it not already been reduced to a puddle of Love and Magic.

"And thank you my child for falling down here to join me," Toriel says and pulls Lily up to her head for tender and loving embrace, one that would have lasted forever if they could manage it.

The Next Day

"I will be in the Ruins for most of the day. I prepared supper ahead of time, so you should plenty to eat if you get hungry. There is a list of jobs that must be completed daily. You can find the list on the refrigerator in case you forget. Also try to be very careful when you collect the snails, and…"

"Enough, mother. I'll be fine, I promise. You go run your errands. I can take care of home now. I am a big girl after all."

"Yes, you are a big girl, but you are still my precious little Lily." Toriel pinches one of her cheeks to Lily's mild annoyance. "Mother, why?!"

"You know I only do it because I love you, my child. Now I best be off, that list better be done when I get back. I will have many things for both of us when I return." Toriel departs, and Lily waves goodbye to her.

"Looking forward to it already, mother. Come back Home as soon as you can. I'll be waiting to help you." Lily says with a warm smile and Toriel did not remove her eyes from her until she could no longer see her. With a heavy and reluctant heart, Toriel turns away to complete her duties to the remainder of the Ruins, looking forward to the day when Lily joins her and takes over her position as caretaker.

Perhaps her reign would not stop there. Toriel does not know what the future contains, but she looks forward to it with breathless anticipation and love in her heart.

Later that Day

"Lily, I have returned home. You're not going to believe what I managed to find: a toy chest from the surface! Honestly, it is a wonder what humans will throw away. Come take a look," Toriel says, unable to contain her delight as it echoes throughout Home, meeting strange silence.

"Lily! Where did you run off to now?" Toriel knows how much trouble Lily could get into when left to her own devices. But as long as no one is harmed, Toriel does not mind her having fun in her own ways. Yet a thorough inspection of living room and kitchen reveals no Lily.

"Lily! Are you in your room?" Toriel runs down the hallway, checking each and every room, and yet there is no trace of Lily. A small but growing panic takes hold of Toriel, knowing she cannot be out in the Ruins. Toriel frantically searches every room, every corner, and every inch of their home multiple times.

"Lily! I do not find this amusing! Where are you?!" Toriel returns to the kitchen, where a terrifying thought comes to her mind.

"No! That can't be happening! Lily would never do that! She knows the danger! She has to be here somewhere!" Toriel shouts at herself to banish the thought, yet it remains fused to her like an irremovable skin boil. It festers and grows with every passing second until at long last Toriel climbs to the top of the fridge and finds no key ring to her horror.

"She... Why would she... Why is this happening...? Why...!" Toriel does not waste another breath or second as she runs to the cellar, down the steps, and through the corridor faster than she ever has in her life. Giving no regard to her footing or maneuvering, she trips at times or crashes into walls, never stopping or relenting in her blind drive to what she hopes is not true.

When she arrives at the exit, to her terror she finds the keys on the ground, to her relief finds no Lily, but to her confusion finds someone else... crying.

"Hello. I am sorry to disturb you. But who are you, and why are you crying?" Toriel speaks as calmly as she can to this strange new flower monster. It sprouts a foot or two from the ground, ending in a full head of golden petals with a sad crying face.

"Oh, Lady Toriel! Thank goodness you've come! I tried so hard to stop her but she wouldn't listen to me!" The Flower monster says, overwhelmed with tears and terror.

"She! You mean you've seen Lily!? Do you know what happened!? Please, tell me!"

"Oh, Lady Toriel, it was so awful. The Human… She took the key to the exit and left us! I tried to stop her… but I was just too weak." The Flower pleads, bending its stem to stand on makeshift knees.

"She left! Oh, my goodness! Why would she do such a thing?!" Toriel shouts in growing fervor, she could never believe Lily could ever abandon her.

"But Lady Toriel, she didn't leave too long ago. You still might be able to find her before they do!"

"Of course, you're absolutely right. I must rescue-" As Toriel grabs the door, ready to charge out and find Lily, she stops as the gears turn inside her head a few more times. Not helping her ordeal is this strange sense of déjà vu she could not explain.

_Lily would never abandon me... Not willingly_. With suspicion, she faces the monster flower. "Who are you? I have never seen you before."

"Ol' me? I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower," Flowey says with a wink in its eye. "Please, Lady Toriel, you have to leave. Before we run of time." It takes every fiber in her being not to run out the door, but Toriel could not leave. Not until she confirms her suspicions.

"I shall, but first a question. What did Lily say or do to you, before she left?"

"Me? I just found her here in the caves all on her own. She was determined to leave. I tried to get her to stop. I told her everyone would be sad and everyone would be lonely and miss her, but she said that she had to go. She wouldn't tell me why. Believe me, Lady Toriel, I did everything I could to stop her." Flowey says in a voice so genuine and convincing anyone would have believed it.

Toriel could not explain it. She has never met Flowey before, yet this conversation is familiar. Questions flood into her mind, but amidst a lack of answers, one certainty rises above all of them. "You are lying."

"What? Little old me lying? I would never do a thing like that to ya, Lady Toriel," Flowey says with confidence.

"Then tell me the truth. What happened to Lily?" Toriel stomps closer to the flower, and it did not seem to approve.

"I already told you the truth. She decided to leave and I tried to stop her. Toriel, you are wasting valuable time. Don't you want to go and save your precious child?" Flowey says so perfectly, but it sounds rehearsed to Toriel's ears.

"You did this. Didn't you!" Toriel marches and Flowey jerks away from her. "Lily would never leave me. Not unless someone forced her to!"

"And you think that's me?! I'm just a flower. What could I possibly do to a human?" Flowey says unable to hide its frustration, but tinged with a hint of primal satisfaction.

"Why did you do it!? Tell me now!" Toriel commands as sparks emerge from her finger tips. Anger burns inside of her. One so intense and hot it would turn her and the flower to ash in an instant, if unleashed. Toriel is tempted, but needs information from Flowey.

"Why are you making me your scape-goat. Aren't you her mother? Weren't you supposed to be watching after her? Didn't you ever tell her not to speak to strangers?" Flowey says in a subtle but mocking demeanor, pushing Toriel to the limits of her nerve and patience.

"Why weren't you there for your children!" Flowey speaks with cruelty and a cruel face, snapping something inside Toriel. She throws a burst of fire, it moves with the power of a sun and speed of a soaring comet. Yet Flowey dodges her attack with perfect timing. Alone, Toriel charges to the door.

"Go ahead and try to save her, Toriel! I sent her off 3 hours ago! I'm sure the royal guard hasn't found her, but I know Asgore will love to have you back! Don't worry 'bout any other human kids that fall down here. I'll take good care of them all, and the monsters too." Flowey declares along with a wicked and terrible cackle, one destined to haunt Toriel's nightmares for the rest of her life. Before Toriel can react, Flowey disappears beneath the ground.

Toriel is ripped in half. One half is running out to save Lily and plead with Asgore for Lily's life, and another is unable to move as her heart is torn to pieces and stampeded over. Like a hornet's nest rests over her head, countless concerns and possibilities buzz and bite across her head, each sting more painful than the last.

"I can't abandon her." Toriel opens the door and runs outside into the Underground, desperate to find any trace or sign of Lily. Her mind becomes a frenzy and driven by her heart's desires, but unable to escape crushing reality. Should she be captured, she will never be allowed to return to the Ruins again. Any future child and monsters in the Ruins will be helpless at the mercy of Flowey without her.

As helpless as she is against her own memories with Lily, flashing across her mind and stinging in the most bittersweet manner. From her first birthday, when Lily tried to dance with every monster in the Ruins. The time they found an abandoned human bike from the surface and Lily named it after her pony Doris because it rhymes with Norris. And the time Lily became sick with a heavy fever and against all odds managed to survive with no human medicine or doctors.

Memories Toriel holds onto even as they now turn into poison.

"I am the caretaker of the Ruins." She punches the ground and unleashes a thunderous cry that shakes the ground. Somehow, she knows, Flowey adored every second of her torment, and she will never forget.

She returns with empty hands and an empty heart. She slumbers her way inside the Ruins. Locking the door behind her with resignation and defeat, she breathes and moves, yet she is so beret of life and spirit she may as well be dead. Yet she will linger on, if not for herself, then for her children and her people.

"Lily... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Please forgive me!" Toriel collapses, too consumed by pain to move.

The Present

"My precious Lily," Toriel cradles the toy knife in her hand like a newborn child. Despite knowing how it can be used, Toriel could not bear separating herself from the last living piece of Lily's memory. Nostalgia and happiness come into her mind and mend her broken heart.

"After all these years, it appears I have not learned a thing. I'm sorry… Oh, I never even asked him for his name." Toriel's sadness returns and the comfort of Lily's memory cannot alleviate her pain. She sulks to a corner of her home, where she keeps her gardening equipment and retrieves a watering pail.

"I failed you Lily, failed all of you my children. None of you were the first, so please do not let him be the last. I do not know who or what governs this world, but please… please let him live. Let him find his hopes and dreams." She buries the toy knife deep into her pocket and departs with her watering pail.

"My duty is done. Now come along, my children. Let us be together again."


	7. Chapter 7: Please, Be Good

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 7

* * *

"Please… Just stop… No more…"

Frisk drags himself across the floor with his left bruised arm; his right arm is busy with soothing his chest's wounds and his knees too beaten in to stand. He can taste the earthly flavor of dirt in his mouth as his face slides across the ground with every movement. His body begs for him to stay still, but he knows the alternative is far worse.

He does not stop his sluggish crawl to the exit on the opposing side of the chamber, a sight which spurs him to continue moving in spite of the excruciating pain. The edges of his fingers brush the doorway to freedom. Frisk smiles, hoping this nightmare may soon be over.

"No… No…! Not again!" Vines ensnare his legs and drag him back across the floor, away from his salvation. The vines have not lost their invasive & unforgiving approach, handling him like a bag of trash.

Despite being pulled away, Frisk desperately reaches for the doorway with his arms, as if he could stretch them to freedom. Instead he digs his fingers into the dirt to stop or slow down the descent to no avail, leaving deep scratch marks in the dirt. His heart races out of control and his nails nearly break from the stress of being forcibly yanked backwards.

Bringing him face to petals with his tormentor.

"Hey Kiddo. Where ya going!? We weren't done with our play date. Has anyone ever told you how rude you can be?" Flowey says, having the time of its life while Frisk withers in pain on the ground.

The vines spread across his body like snakes, and like snakes they tighten their stranglehold on him. Knowing the perfect sour spot of inflicting tremendous pain, but holding back before any permanent damage is done. They give the slightest of reprieves, before denying them, and they repeat the process to extend his suffering as much as possible. To add injury to injury, thorns are included in this package of pain, cutting across him from head to toe. Frisk grabs the ground with all of his meager and exhausted strength, although the thought of breaking his arms off almost seems preferable to resuming the "play date".

"Oh, were you trying to reach that exit? I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it. Here ya go, buddy, you'd probably want to go home after all." The vines release him and Frisk seizes the chance to escape on his hobbling legs. Following every screaming instinct & impulse inside him to get away, to never look back, and to stomp on every flower he encounters for the rest of his life.

As Frisk reaches the exit, his heart sinks as vines rapidly grow to block the exit, leaving him trapped with the vicious flower. Frisk does not stop his charge, tearing into the vines with his battered and weary hands. It is a futile attempt as the vines continues to grow in thickness and size. Frisk stops when they assault his hand and a cruel cackle fills the air, leaving him paralyzed where he stands.

"Oh, kiddo, you're so selfish, wanting to leave little ol me behind. If you stop playing with me, I'll get bored, and you don't want me to get bored, do you?!" Frisk turns in dread, unable to tell if it's words are a threat, a question, or a suggestion to explore.

"Why... Why... are... Why are you doing-!" Frisk's words die in his throat as vines force his own hands to strangle his throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I can't hear you while you're choking yourself. What was that? Oh, you want to do it again? No problem, buddy. Glad to know we're on the same leaf." Flowey says with a sadistic smile as it continues the strangulation.

"Wait! I gots a better idea. Let's dance together friend! You know it's so hard to dance when you don't have legs. I know you won't mind if I borrow yours." Vines continue to wrap and entangle his limbs in a manner that allows Flowey to manipulate his limbs. Frisk's horror seems to know no end as he experiences Flowey's seemingly limitless creative capacity for inflicting pain.

"Here, I'll lead." Against his will, Frisk dances to Flowey's amusement as the vines force his body to move in a clumsy and awkward fashion. No regard is given to the painful condition and state of his body. Flowey does not ignore the opportunity for self-harm, as Frisk pinches himself or contorts his limbs into uncomfortable poses.

"This is missing something... Oh! I know what it is." Several white pellets materialize around Flowey, which it uses to fire off at Frisk at random.

Frisk tires his damnedest to exert some control over where he moves. But a combination of his exhausted, beaten-down body and Flowey's vines force him to follow the path. The shooting gallery continues, Frisk relishes every shot Flowey 'misses' but takes blow after blow with each hit that lands to Flowey's delight.

Meanwhile, Flowey's face takes on a terrifying sight that not even a mother could love. With black soulless eyes, a broken jagged mouth, and a contorted twisted face that could only have come from the deepest and darkest of nightmares. The pain, the humiliation, the fear, they all come together to create the worst experience in Frisk's life, since the last time he met Flowey.

"Ugh... Bored now." To Frisk's relief, if one can call it that, Flowey ceases the torture but does not release it's stranglehold on him. Frisk breathes for the briefest of moments until the vines pull on each of his limbs in every direction.

The vines spread across his torso to dig and tighten into him, crushing him like a marshmallow in an iron fist. But like before, it knows the limits. The flower always relents before any permanent harm is done, but no true reprieve is ever given. It merely shifts attention to some other less damaged piece of his body. By now not much was left. All the while its cackling laughter of pure joy fills the air and Frisk's ears.

"Gotta say! You really know how to have a good time! I haven't had this much fun in a while! Almost out of ideas. Give me a second to come up with something. Here, take a breather." To his surprise, the vines actually release him. He instinctively opens his mouth to scream for help, only to taste the fine flavor of dirt as he slams into ground.

"You idiot. I didn't say to take the dirt. But then again, I guess you should get used to pushing up daisies like me." The flower laughs and Frisk cannot find the energy to moan or groan. The pain floods his entire being. His breath falters, his vision blackens, and his body becomes a stress ball of throbbing agony. Frisk wishes this could be over, but knows that it is far from the end.

"Let's see. I've done slashing, throwing, yanking, falling, cutting, breaking, preening, puppet playing-now that was fun- shooting, stinging, bending, juggling, crushing-."

"I... I'm... just a. Kid. Why are... you doing-?!" Frisk says in a broken shambling state when a pellet lands in front of him.

"Who said you could interrupt me!" The pellets charge towards Frisk, stopping an inch before making impact. "Wait of course, we can do crushing." Frisk stutters as Flowey burrows itself underground, disappearing to remerge in front of his face. His eyes tear and he whimpers as the flower stands before him.

"Ah, don't give me that look, kiddo. There's more than one way to crush you. I gotta say, I can't tell you how satisfying this feels, especially after having to watch your mushy goody two shoes act in the Ruins. If I had a stomach, I would throw up."

"I wasn't acting... I."

"Don't lie to me, kiddo. You're not any good at it. You came down and pretended that you're just some innocent happy go unlucky kid. You played nice, you put on a smile, and sure maybe you had some pity. But deep down you didn't care about any of them. You just did whatever you had to get past them. You only cared about yourself in the end. You think you're good just because you played by your own rules and didn't kill anyone. Face it, kiddo: you're just as bad as I am."

"I'm not like you..."

"You know what? I'll gotta agree with you there, kiddo. I wouldn't have been dumb enough to come back here or to leave my biggest meat shield behind. What are you even doing anymore? I know this is all a game to folks like us, but even I don't get you now."

"I just... want to go... back home... and find... Mom." Droplets hit Frisk as Flowey retches on him.

"Oh, stop it. You're going to make me sick. You know what's so stupid about little snot-nosed brats like you? You honestly believe that your little hopes and pathetic dreams can come true. You walk around with your stupid eyes looking up at the stupid sky thinking that just because you want something bad enough that somehow it'll magically happen. I got news for you kid. Things don't work like that in this world." A pair of vines lifts Frisk's head and forcibly opens his eyes so he can stare into Flowey's monstrous face.

"In this world, it's Kill or Be Killed. The only dreams that come true are those who follow the rules. Everyone else is just a loser who gets left behind, a rock to step on to get ahead, or, in your case, an idiot who was stupid enough to get in my way again." The vines tighten their grip on his head to Frisk's displeasure.

"And I gotta say, out of all the dreams I've heard. Yours has got to be the wimpiest and dumbest one of them all." Flowey's face changes to that of a whimpering child.

"Mommy! Please come and save me! Give me a kiss for my boo-boo! Save me from the mean flower! Mommy! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Flowey returns to its original nightmarish face.

"Well, guess what, kid? Your Mommy doesn't love you. She could never love you at all after what you've done! She's probably glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore! Because based off of everything that I've seen, you've got to be the biggest disappointment of her life!" Frisk cries as those words reach him.

"Ah. Did I hurt your precious little feelings? Well why don't you cry out for your mommy to prove me wrong? Here go ahead, no tricks this time. Cry out into the darkness and see what happens!" Flowey puppeteers Frisk back to his feet. "Go! Do it! Cry for your precious Mommy to come and save you!"

"Mom!" Frisk says, as tears flood from his eyes.

"Oh, would you look at that? Nobody came. Which means no one is going to get to see you die." The vines continue to tighten around him, their grip far harsher than ever before. A bright red light fills the room as a small red heart appears to float in between Frisk and Flowey. Frisk clenches his hands into fists as the vines dig into his own skin.

"Well, kiddo, it's been fun. Thanks again for being the biggest idiot by coming back here. But now it's time for my dream to come true." Frisk winces and grits his teeth together as Flowey's vines encroach the heart, it frantically moves in a panic.

"But tell you what. I'll be sure to pay a special visit to your mommy when I get to the surface. We'll have lots of fun together. Just me, my best friend, and her. I wonder what she'll do after I break every bone in her body. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I tell her that it's all thanks to you she's dead." Frisk's eyes open as wide as can be. A feeling burns within him, like a cup over spilling with hot water long after being filled. Frisk shakes, not from fear, but from something else.

"Well, goodbye, kiddo. Welcome back-." The vines snap and break. Frisk's chest becomes more pronounced as his breathing deepens and quickens. His arms squirm and his feet stomp as the vines struggle to contain him. Frisk's face flares with wrath, his heart beating a million miles a minute as his blood burns and boils. His eyes stare at Flowey so intensely they would reduce the flower to ash if they could, their usual brown color tinted red.

**FRISK IS FILLED WITH DETERMINATION.**

"Don't you ever talk about Mom like that again!" Frisk raises his arms into the air with strength beyond his own, severing every vine into pieces. Frisk lunges forward to seize Flowey, the pain a distant afterthought to the righteous fury flowing through his veins. The red heart disappears back into his body in his leap.

In a panic, Flowey burrows itself underground. Frisk does stop, he punches the ground where Flowey stood and creates a crater in its place. Steam may as well have been coming out of his ears as he gasps enormous breaths of air. He takes the moment to dig into his pocket to grab all the remaining monster candy to shove into his mouth, lessening the pain so he can fight. Frisk scans the area to search wherever the flower fled to. He does not have to wait long.

"Well, you got some fight in ya, I see. Well, if you want to do things the hard way, that's fine by me!" Flowey sends two vines charging through the air towards Frisk.

In an instant Frisk grabs both of them in midair. To their shared surprise, Frisk stops their charge and crushes the two vines with brute force alone. To test his newfound strength, he pulls on the vines, even Flowey could not conceal their shock. The vines become limp in his hands as it abandons them.

"Well… this is different. But there's that face again, nice to see that you've dropped the act. Following the rules and playing the game, that's more my style. But I gotta warn ya, kiddo, I've been playing this game a lot longer then you have." Pellets materialize around Flowey as it sits on the opposite side of the room, ready for a fight. "And this time when you lose, you'll lose forever!"

"I won't lose! Because I won't let you win!" Frisk shouts with his back to the exit and a scowl as he faces the wild flower. A piece of him commands him to stay undeterred and determined to end this, one he is all too eager to follow.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Frisk charges towards the flower with relentless fury while it stands there motionless. As Frisk comes within reach of Flowey, he extends his hand out to grab it. Only to be yanked backwards, away from the smiling flower. Frisk discovers a vine wrapped around his waist, holding him back as he struggles to move forward.

"You really are an idiot. Did you really think it would be that easy?!" The pellets fire off at Frisk, hitting and knocking him back to the ground as vines continue to tighten around his chest, hoping to break him into two pieces. Flowey summons more pellets to finish the job, while Frisk can only smile.

"You got a sick sense of humor, kid. Wanna smile that much before you die?"

"Oh, I'm not dying, but thanks for making this a lot easier," Frisk says in pain, but it doesn't stop him from grabbing the vines and pulling on them with all of his might. He lifts the vines out of the ground as they circle around him and back to Flowey.

In a panic, Flowey fires pellets off at Frisk, but his increased distance from Flowey allows him to avoid most of them. The vines do anything they can to break his grip before it is too late: they continue to tighten around him, they grow thorns to cut him, and they burn his hands by rapidly moving. But Frisk powers through all the pain until he rips the vines out of the ground along with Flowey roots.

With a satisfied smile, Frisk pulls on the roots to his heart's content, dragging Flowey through the dirt. With it's roots compromised, Flowey is forced to abandon the attack, releasing the vines on Frisk to set itself free and to re-root itself to resume the stalemate. Free, Frisk wastes no time in running for the flower.

"So, you're not as stupid as you look. Okay Kiddo, let's play a game of catch instead." Flowey burrows itself underground before Frisk can catch up to the flower. He runs beneath the pillar of light and keeps his guard up, vigilant for wherever the next attack will come from.

A ring of pellets forms around him before rapidly moving inwards to his position. Frisk is able to dodge them by ducking to the ground, only to be bombarded by a larger circle of pellets hidden within the shadows of the room. The Pellets assault him from all sides, hitting his body from multiple angles and with a great deal of force behind their blows, sending Frisk to the ground.

"Aw, don't give up on me now, Kiddo! Not when things are getting interesting." Frisk spots Flowey hanging high in the wall, far beyond his reach.

"I won't give up. Not as long as you're here!" Frisk gets back to his feet.

"Ah, you were supposed to disappoint me, like you did with everyone else. But hey! I really like that feisty spirit you got there; it makes you less boring. So, let's keep playing." Rings of Pellets form at random locations throughout the floor, but Frisk remains unfazed by their position.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

The rings encroach to their center points. Frisk dodges the ring which surrounded him, but the attack does not stop there. The pellets continue to fly out in every direction after crossing their center, forcing Frisk to evade the same attack twice. Due to their numbers and varying heights, the rings of pellets are difficult to dodge, and many do make their mark. The pain is far less than before, likely due to the sheer quantity reducing their quality; however it does not make them any less infuriating to endure.

Frisk struggles to keep pace as Flowey summons ring after ring of pellets from the safety of its wall, allowing damage and exhaustion to build up. _Gotta find a way out of this… Can't keep this up forever… But there has to be something to-!_ A heavy thud hits his head like a ball of hail. Frisk falls to the ground onto his back, looking up to discover Flowey's next devious tactic.

"Bombs away!" There are large white orbs hanging in the sky. Until one falls down towards him, exploding when it reaches a certain height to unleash a tremendous storm of pellets across the entire floor, leaving not an inch untouched.

Frisk crouches under his knees to hide his head beneath his arms to provide as much cover as possible. His arms receive the beating of a lifetime to a point where his grip breaks and he falls onto his chest, the pellets hitting him like a storm of hail. Frisk tries to lift himself off the ground, only for his waning strength to drop him back to the floor. He rolls onto his back, meeting the discouraging sight of another round of large white orbs.

_This is totally not fair… I can't take much more… But how can I fight it when only it can fight back… Wait that's it!_ Frisk grits his teeth through the pain as he slides the stick into his hand and stands up, tripping as he struggles to stay on his feet. Flowey laughs as it sees the sight.

"Hahaha… don't tell me you expect that stupid little thing to beat me." The pain is great but Frisk, remains focused as he aims the stick into the sky, his one and only shot. Despite it all, his arm remains straight, his strength builds, and his eye locks on its target.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

"Nope. But I know you won't mind if I borrow yours." Frisk launches the stick high into the air, soaring far and away from Flowey to strike one of the orbs in the air. The collision causes the orb to detonate prematurely, spewing pellets into the air to strike the other orbs. They create a chain reaction which fills the ceiling with pellets flying in every direction. Some pellets reach the ground, largely harmless to him as they lost most of their momentum and aim.

The same cannot be said for the flower hanging in the wall. Frisk smiles as the pellets explode in Flowey's face, knocking it off the wall and falling to the ground along with the stick.

He charges to the flower with his outstretched hand to catch Flowey before it hits the ground. His vision is razor sharp on the flower, so focused and tight that he misses two pellets that hit him in his eyes. As Frisk recovers, frustration builds as Flowey manages to reach the ground and root itself once again.

Frisk slides to its location, Flowey's petals slipping through the tips of his fingers. Frisk bangs his fists against the ground as he misses another opportunity to capture the flower. Annoyance and anger fill him, driving a feeling that will not allow him to give up the fight until it is over. A feeling overtaken by shock, as tiny vines tie his hands to the ground, trapping them with the weight of the ground itself. Frisk pulls on them as hard as he can to no avail, lifting on his feet until they become entangled by other vines.

"Try all you like, kiddo, but my roots ain't there this time. I'll admit; you gave me one heck of a fight. I really appreciate that. So before you lose, let me say 'thanks'." Flowey reappears in front of Frisk, keeping a safe distance as it summons multiple rings of pellets to surround Frisk. Frisk struggles to free himself from the ground.

"You haven't won yet." With a great deal of effort, Frisk struggles to release his hands from the ground. He does everything and more he can to move the earth, driven by a feeling. A feeling which drives him forward and one that will not allow him to give up no matter what. Despite the trap, he faces Flowey, beaten and tired, but ready to face whatever will come next.

"You know kiddo, I don't get you. You already lost and you came back here just to lose again. Even I got so bored that I gave up. But you… You just don't know when to give up. Reminds me of a special someone. The only good thing about you." Flowey says.

"Well if that what it means to be good, I'm glad to be bad!" Frisk says.

"Oh, you're not bad… You're so much worse." The rings of pellets encroach and collide into Frisk, bringing him down as he lies limp upon the ground. Flowey taps Frisk's limp body with a vine from the distance.

"Umm… No LOVE. Why do human bodies gotta be so durable? Not even Trash Bag ever gave me this much trouble. But then again, why does it have to be so easy this time? I can only kill him once, better make it memorable. I know she would appreciate that-!" Flowey is interrupted as it is yanked through the ground

With no time to act or react, vines and roots gives way until it's stem enters Frisk's grasp, leaving Flowey shocked. With it's roots severed from the ground it cannot summon any vines to do it's bidding and any pellet would be too slow to escape this newfound grip. Frisk can only smile at this change in fortunate.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

"How did you do that?!"

"I gave up. Risky, but worth it. The shoe doesn't feel so good on the other foot, now does it?!"

"You can't do this. You're nothing more but a loser and an idiot! I need your soul to- Aah!" Flowey squeals as Frisk tightens his grip on the flower, crushing it's stem.

"Well I'm happy to disappoint you, too." Frisk smiles as Flowey squirms in his hands, unable to escape. Its face losing all of its dread and terror, replaced with something else. A sight Frisk did not expect to see: fear.

"What are you going to do?! You can't do this to me! I need to find-."

"Why not! Ever since I met you, you've done nothing but terrorize me! Hurt me! And you tried to kill me! Even when you weren't there, you were! Give me one reason why I shouldn't end this right now!" Frisk raises his hand into the air, a piece of him overjoyed that this fight can finally end.

"If you're expecting me to beg, it's not going to happen kiddo! Go ahead and do it, I knew you had it in you. Show me what you're really made out of."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Frisk clenches his hands into a fist above his head.

His mind floods with painful and humiliating memories of the flower, fueling the adrenaline pumping throughout his body like a raging storm. The sensation covers the pain from all his injuries while his mind puts itself back after being torn in pieces by the flower's attacks. All the while, his soul is ready and willing to LOVE.

Frisk is filled with determination.

Frisk swings his fist down towards the flower.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Frisk channels all of his might and power to deliver one fatal blow.

FRISK IS FILLED WITH DETERMINATION.

"Please, be good." Toriel said.

Frisk stops his fist in midair before he could strike the flower, taking deep breaths as the world stands still. Everything falls silent, barring the beating of his heart and Toriel's sweet words in his mind.

_What the heck am I doing?!_ Frisk lowers his fist and lessens his grip on Flowey, containing it but not crushing.

"No… No. I'm not going to do it. I won't kill you." Frisk says. Flowey is astonished by this.

"What? Why not?! Is this some kind of pity game? Because you can keep your worthless pity. Now do it! You'd be doing me a favor!" Flowey says its face morphs and its stem twitches to convince Frisk. The temptation to end it once and for all, it is a calling that is hard to ignore.

"No. I won't do it!"

"So, what are you going to do, then? Let me go? You really are the biggest idiot of them all. I'll kill you. I'll go back and kill Toriel, too. And when I get your soul, I'll go to the surface and show everyone that this world is Kill or Be Killed! I won't spare anyone man, woman, or child; human or monster. And when it's all done, I'll kill your mom."

Frisk stands there with Flowey's fate in his trembling hands.

With a hesitant sigh, He lowers Flowey to the ground and even helps the flower root itself back into the ground.

"Why did you do that? Is it too hard for you now?!" Flowey says with a shocked expression.

"No! It would be easy. Believe me, I want to kill you. Every part of me wants to kill you so you can't hurt me or anyone else again. But I'm not going to do it." Flowey looks on with confusion before laughing into the sky like a banshee.

"You really are an idiot." Frisk is surrounded by an impregnable ring of pellets that float around him.

"That's all this world is and I'll teach it to you before you-." An opening is torn open in the wall of pellets as Frisk knocks them away with his stick. Frisk calmly walks away from the flower as the pellets disappear.

"Hey, what are you doing? Get back here!" Vines swing out at Frisk, despite some struggle Frisk is able to overpower them as he crushes or tosses them away with his strength.

"I don't understand. No, you're supposed to fight me! That's nothing else in this world but LOVE. Now come back and fight me!" Frisk reaches the vine covered doorway, tearing through the vines to make an exit.

"I don't understand… I don't understand…. Why are you being so nice to me?!" Those words capture his attention and Frisk returns to the flower.

"Because if I want to be good. Then I can't kill you. If I did that then, I'll just be proving you right. I don't believe that this world is Kill or Be Killed. I'll find a way out of here without killing anyone." Frisk speaks from his soul.

"Really!? You really won't kill anyone? I got news for you, kid. The Underground is not a safe place for human brats like you. Sure, Toriel pacified the ruins. But outside, everyone will be out to get you. Some Monsters far more powerful than me. What will you do if you meet a relentless killer? Will you kill out of frustration? And play by the real rules of this world?"

"No, I won't! It doesn't matter who I met or what happens. After all, I beat you. I'll find a way to get past anyone who gets in my way without having to kill them, and that's a promise." Frisk says, his body quivering and his mind faltering, nonetheless remaining committed to his word.

"Who are you?" Flowey says in confusion, even Frisk can tell that it is genuine.

"My name is Frisk and I'm not a killer."

"But that's impossible. And really not killing anyone, that's the most… Actually… that's a wonderful idea!" It says in a cheerful voice, even Frisk is taken aback by it's statement and the sudden transition in mood.

"No, really, I mean it. Good luck with that, kiddo. I'm rooting for ya." Flowey burrows itself under the ground. "Just don't forget about me, Frisk, because I won't forget you." Flowey disappears under the ground.

Frisk remains there until he is certain that the Flower has truly left him alone. Relief showers over him at escaping the flower, but not enough to banish his doubts. _What does it mean by that?! And what did I just get myself into. I don't know anything that's outside of this place. What if I do have to…kill?_

Frisk stands up as best as he can, the pain and strain returning in full force as his adrenaline rush wears off. He turns to face the exit to the Ruins. He pulls out the red hair ribbon in his pocket.

"Can I really do this?"

* * *

Frisk walks through the darkness, clutching his side and torso in vain attempts to soothe the pain and anguish from Flowey's attack. Without the adrenaline to keep the pain at bay, every effort is a painful one. It is an experience he would love to forget, but one that will stay with him in mind and flesh. Nevertheless, he manages to arrive at his destination, just in time to fall onto his knees and head.

"My Child!" Toriel leaves the golden flower bed that she was attending to rush to his side. Toriel lifts Frisk off the ground as she rubs her hands across his body. A glowing green light shines across him, the pain fading away as she heals his wounds.

"Child, what in the underground happened to you?! Who did this to you? Please tell me that-." Frisk silences Toriel as he wraps his hands around to give her a deep hug, one Toriel is all too happy to complete. She engulfs him in a warm and comfortable embrace that allows the green magic to encompass his entire being. The urge to bury himself within her robes as irresistible as ever.

"You're alright. Thanks goodness." His voice cracking as happiness overwhelms him, an almost alien feeling after so much pain, but utterly exhilarating in this moment and time with Toriel.

"Of course I'm alright, my child. Why wouldn't I be? You are the one who needs assistance! Now please tell me, what happened?"

"Flowey said it would try to hurt you. I had to make sure you were okay."

"That fiendish flower did this to you. Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry. I should have been there to protect you. This is my fault."

"No, it's not. You were just trying to protect me. I can see that now. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I can be really dumb."

"You give yourself too little credit my child. Since you are here with me now, I can only assume you were able to triumph over the flower. Wait did you-?" Toriel's voice takes a nervous turn.

"No, I didn't. I mean, I really wanted to. But I talked instead and Flowey eventually went away. Just like you said, you were right about everything. Sorry for coming back though." Frisk looks away from her until she steers his face to look upon her.

"Oh, no! You have nothing to apologize for, my child. I am so happy to know that you were able to defeat that vile flower and that you have returned to me!" She says with tears of joy on her smiling face.

"Then why did you tell me to never come back?" Toriel casts her head away.

"Asriel. Chara. Lily. Arthur. Elizabeth. Leonard. Susan. And Clint. They were all my children. I cared for them. I provided for them. And while they made mistakes, I loved all of them. I also failed all of them. No father or mother should ever outlive their child, and I have already seen 8 of you come and go. I am sorry child, but I could not bear your loss as well. Forgive me for being so... so weak." Toriel says as her voice breaks and guilt washes over him.

_I was so wrong... But I have to fix it... This time for sure._ Frisk takes Toriel's hands once again.

"Here, I want to give you something." Frisk takes out the faded hair ribbon from his pocket and he leaves it in Toriel's hand to her surprise.

"What! Where did you find this?" Frisk tenderly grasps her hand, the ribbon flowing between their palms.

"In the Ruins. I want you to look after it for me. Because when I'm finished, I'm going to come back for it. I know you're worried about me, but I'll be okay. I promise. No matter what happens I'll be back for that ribbon. So take good care of it." Frisk stares into her as tears stream down, no longer tears of heartbreak but of joy. They embrace each other in a hug.

"Thank you so much my child! You have no idea how much this means... Oh, I am so rude! I never asked you for your name. What is your name?"

"My name is Frisk, yeah I know it's not a good name."

"Well greetings Frisk, I am so glad to meet you."

"It's great to meet you too Miss Toriel. I'm also sorry. Their faces turn, but refuse to allow the inevitable to drag down their moods.

"So, you still intend to leave." Frisk nods in silence. "Frisk, I wish you the best of luck out there in the rest of the Underground."

"I really hope so." Frisk says, doubt and fear weighing heavily upon his mind, but vanishing upon witnessing Toriel's bright and warm smile. He hates himself for being so foolish with her. "Because when I found that ribbon. I was really scared and worried about you. My imagination went to some crazy places."

"Such as..."

"Maybe you have baked me into pie and eaten me or something." They remain silent for a few moments until they laugh at the same time.

"Oh, yes, my child. I am the evil goat monster who lives in the ruins. Looking for special ingredients to bake my devious delicious pastries, and there is no ingredient more special then children." Frisk is tickle tackled by Toriel, rubbing the soft furry tips of her fingers along his sides. Frisk laughs, needing a good laugh after everything that has happened since he first got here.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. "Do you have any advice?" Frisk asks.

"Advice? Well I believe the best thing you can do is try to make friends out there in the Underground."

"Friends? I was never very good with that kind of stuff. I promised that I wouldn't fight. But what if I'm not good or strong enough?" Toriel's hands land on his shoulder to fill him with confidence.

"I will be honest with you, my Frisk. There are monsters that will try and fight you out there. Please believe me when I say that they are not bad. But I know that you can do it. You found it within yourself to spare that flower. Even I could not do that, as far I am concerned that makes you far stronger than I. Follow your soul and I know that you will find your way." Frisk smiles, a gentle candlelight flame igniting inside his soul.

"And what about you?

"Oh, do not worry about me. Someone has to take care of these flowers. Speaking of which—here, you can have seconds, and this as well!" Toriel grabs a picnic basket she had with her. "Butterscotch Pie! And here is a phone. It may prove to be useful to you out there on your own."

Frisk receives a delightfully warm piece of pie that makes his mouth water and an anarchic cellular phone from the digital Stone Age.

"Thanks so much." Frisk says as he eats the pie. It is delicious and chewy with every bite, crusty on the outside but soft and delectable on the inside as his sweet tooth cheers in joy. "Wow, this is amazing!"

"I knew you would like it Frisk, after the last one. The butterscotch does well to cover up the snail slime." Frisk chokes on the food, fighting back the urge to barf, until he spies Toriel's sly smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I did not mean to hurl your feelings." Toriel laughs to herself while Frisk makes his best impression of laughter to spare her feelings.

"Hey. What did the time traveler do at the buffet? He went back for seconds." Frisk says with a mouth full of pie to Toriel's amusement, as she grabs a piece of pie for herself. Frisk and Toriel eat their pie together as slowly as possible, to share their company and time as long as possible. Once they take the final bite, they stand to share one final hug and farewell.

"Goodbye Miss Toriel and thank you for everything." He departs with great reluctance, but nevertheless makes his exit. Toriel does not remove her eyes until the very end, when Frisk disappears out of her sight.

"Good luck my child. I truly hope that you find a way out and may all your dreams become a reality." Toriel returns her attention to the bed of golden flowers.

"How interesting, you didn't inform him about the barrier." Says a young human girl as she emerges out of the shadows, her voice is cold, calculating, but intensely curious.

"Is this your way of keeping him down here with you, or are you still trying to protect him? At this point, I would find either option believable. I wonder what he will do when he learns the truth. Perchance it could destroy him? Or perhaps not, he does seem to be made out of sterner stuff. He has certainly proven that to me… or could that be her doing?" She paces in a straight line, keeping her hands formally folded over her red and orange striped sweater.

"So many questions and too few answers, I hardly know where to start. Well, it is still too early to speculate. After all, this is the beginning of their journey. They have quite the treacherous trek ahead of them. And only they and time will determine how it will unfold." She brings her golden brown hand to her concerned face in a curious gesture.

"It's better I don't interfere with them, not after what happened the last time." She says in a firm voice before it falters. "But if they can't stay the course, they'll wind up back here sooner or later. If they work together, they'll just hit rock bottom. Who knows… perhaps Flowey will finally have it's day. I really shouldn't get my hopes up." She tenderly grabs the blue hair ribbon tying her messy long brown hair into a ponytail.

"But can they really do it?" She speaks in a veiled whisper, before letting go of her hair ribbon.

"Well, I suppose things can always be nudged into the right direction. Perhaps there's a way they can help me after all, and it's not the first time I've played shadow. Isn't that right, Queen Toriel?" Toriel continues to tend to the flowers in silence.

"Glad you agreed with me. Well, time to tell another story. I wonder how it will end: Life? Death? Something in the middle? Only one way to find out, I suppose." She follows Frisk.


	8. Chapter 8: Meeting New Fiends?

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 8

* * *

"Where's a corner when you need one? I'd love it if it was 90 degrees." Frisk says as his words transform into cold breath before his very eyes. Even standing inside the ruins, the frigid air is impossible to ignore as every breeze hits him like a cold sucker punch. Any hopes of a tropical paradise waiting for him on the other side dies a slow death by frost bite.

"Well I always liked winter more than summer. Sweater don't fail me now." Frisk pushes against the door, not easy since the door is made from stone and snow piles on the other side. Yet, Frisk manages to reach the other side, takes one good look at the outside, and slams the door shut to take a deep breath while his palm meets his face.

"Ugghh… Oh come on. Fine. Let's just get this over with." Frisk reopens the door to enter a veritable winter wonderland.

Tall hulking evergreen trees reach into the sky, their canopy of branches cut off all light, leaving the forest buried beneath a thick shroud of shadow. Beneath the darkness the ground is buried underneath layers of pure white virgin snow; long hardened by ice and frost. With no stone door standing in his way, the freezing air blows inside like a renegade snowplow, burying everything under a callous cold breeze.

"Maybe the window wasn't so bad after all. At least you get to be all warm inside." Frisk says and shivers, although he does not know if it's due to the cold or his own fears. Within this dark forest lies any unknown threat, from wild animals, wild flowers, and most especially the wild monsters.

_Toriel pacified the Ruins. But outside are monsters even stronger than me!_

_I will be honest my child. The monsters will try to fight you._

_What will you do if you meet a relentless killer?_

Frisk gulps deeply as he steps backwards. "No! I made it this far, I can't go back now! Besides, I'll be fine. I promised Toriel I would be okay. So here I come, Mom." Frisk enters the frozen darkness of the forest, leaving the Ruins firmly behind him.

Luckily, a path is cleared through the woods, allowing a relative ease of passage through the gargantuan trees. Their trunks are thicker than his entire body, with a very impressive height, meaning this forest has been standing for decades if not longer. The ground cannot make up its mind, changing from solid snow to swallow his feet that he must dig himself out of. Or it turns slippery as butter and keeps him light on his toes to avoid falling. The one constant element is the inescapable freezing breeze, following him wherever he goes.

"Now I know how a snowman feels like." Frisk buries his arms beneath his sweater and shirt, little more than a shield of paper fighting against an ice dragon. He rapidly rubs his sides and shoves his tongue between his teeth to keep them from grinding themselves. His legs fare worse, as his knees shake and his footing stumbles.

Frisk almost trips over a large wooden stick stuck on the ground, but does not allow it to stop him from continuing. _Okay Frisk. Stop thinking about the cold. Go to warm places. Home, sweet home and... Umm. Where else is warm? Volcanoes, fire, Toriel's hands... Oh yeah... Those were really nice, just like her. I just hope the other monsters will be-!_

CRACK!

Frisk turns in a fit, no one is there, but upon closer inspection he can see his luck is over. The stick which caught his feet lies broken, and a separate line of foot prints follows him. The strangest thing is that the prints start and end within feet of each other, somehow avoiding the long trek from the door and to suddenly disappear. Frisk searches in every direction, seeing no one but the surrounding trees and darkness.

"Whose—" Frisk covers his mouth shut to stop himself from speaking, not eager to give away his position anymore than he already has. Frisk marches down the path to get away from whatever or whoever could be there, lurking in the shadows.

_Calm down Frisk. Calm down! You didn't see anyone. Maybe the stick broke by itself or snow could have fallen from the branches. There's no reason to panic. You can-!_ From the corner of his eye, he spots a moving shadow behind him.

_Don't Panic! Please don't Panic! Just find the way out. Before they find me!_ Frisk marches as fast as he can. He no longer cares if he slips on the ice, if the act takes him further away from this approaching enemy, he will welcome it. Yet no matter how far he travels or how fast he moves, the feeling of being watched always lingers.

_Please leave me alone. Just a harmless human kid. Nothing to see here._ Frisk smiles as a bridge comes into his view. Ironically the cold bothers him less as his heart pumps faster than his feet can carry him. Frisk reaches the bridge hoping to find something, anything that could hide him on the other side.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

Frisk's heart nearly stops as footsteps reach his ears, growing louder and growing closer to him. Frisk is unable to look back, too afraid that it will be the last thing he ever does. Deciding he would rather meet the ground then whoever is behind him, Frisk sprints to the bridge.

The breath from his mouth is so thick he disrupts his own vision, only stopping at the most bizarre and random of sights.

"What?!" A series of tall wooden bars stand on top of the bridge, but the gaps between them are so large that a bear could walk through them. The moment of hesitation costs him everything as someone stands behind him. Frisk becomes as still as steel, unable to move an inch, frozen as the ice around him. Dreading whatever comes next, but unable to escape this fate.

"Human. Don't you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hand." A voice says. Their voice is flat and blunt, Frisk cannot tell if they are friend or foe, but he cannot help but recall the last time someone offered to be his friend.

_Better do what he says... Don't want him to get angry... Please just let me have this one..._ Frisk turns around with shut eyes to grab his assailant's hand and to meet whoever it is. For better or worst.

A long and extended fart gushes out between them.

"Hey, nice going Kid. You managed to break the ice and the wind."

"Huh?!" Frisk finds a whoopee cushion inside a mitten covered hand.

"Hehehe. The old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. It's always funny."

"I guess so... I-!" It takes every bit of fiber in his being to stand still as Frisk comes face to skull with death itself; as a humanoid skeleton stands in front of him. No skin, no flesh, and no blood; only bones from skull to metatarsals. The Skeleton monster wears a blue hoodie, a pair of white shorts and slippers on his feet. He is short and stocky in his stature, but his skeleton nature causes Frisk to miss the wide smile and cheeky dimples on his face.

"I can tell that you're stunned to see me Kid." Frisk remains unmoved from his position as the skeleton winks at him. His eye sockets are empty, but there is a white light deep within that Frisk assumes are his eyes.

"Ah, come on kid, no need to give me the cold shoulder. You don't gotta worry 'bout a bonehead like me. I ain't gonna hurt ya. Skeleton's honor." The monster laughs a hearty chuckle and Frisk joins him, although his is far more awkward and forced in the Skeleton's presence. "Feel better now kid?"

"Yeah. I do. I can tell that you're really... humerus."

"There you go. Anyways you're a human right. That's hilarious. I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton." Sans extends his other hand which Frisk grabs to shake together.

"I'm Frisk. Frisk the Human."

"What a coincidence. I'm actually supposed to be on watch for humans right now." Frisk tenses slightly as he hears that. "But… Ya know… I don't really care about capturing anyone. Sounds like too much work to me."

_Is this guy for real?_ Frisk thought as a mixture of complex feelings fill him. Fear comes to the forefront as Sans is an undead living skeleton monster. Surprise takes second place as Frisk did not expect an honest answer, unable to read any deception on the Skeleton's part. Suspicion comes next as Frisk can only take Sans at his word, his intentions a complete and total mystery. Lastly there is a strange sense of appreciation as Frisk enjoys his sense of humor.

_Anyone who makes puns can't be that bad; just like Toriel._ However it is fear that wins out as a piece of him panics and dreads being in the presence of this skeleton. It overpowers him and Frisk is eager to leave.

"Well-thanks-for-not-capturing-me. Nice-to-meet-you-Sans-but-I-have-to-move-on-now." Frisk breaks their handshake.

"Nice to meet you too… Frisk." Sans casually places his hands inside his pockets, the pause adds to Frisk's tension as he steps away from the skeleton.

"Oh, I should probably warn you about my brother Papyrus. He's a Human hunting fanatic. So, I would be really careful around him if I were you." Frisk stops dead in his tracks as his warning reaches him.

_Another Skeleton Monster! That's the last thing I needed! What am I supposed-?_

"Hey, actually, I think that's him over there." Frisk stares ahead as time falls short, true to his word Frisk can see a figure moving towards them. The distance and darkness makes fine details difficult to determine. Trapped, Frisk trembles in place, unsure of what to do next, surrounded by skeletons on both sides.

"Here Kid, I have an idea. Go through this gate thingy. Don't worry, my bro made the bars too wide to stop anyone." Sans walks on ahead and Frisk places his fear aside to follow the Skeleton. The figure is coming closer and closer, to Frisk's displeasure.

"Quick, go hide behind that conventionally shaped lamp," Sans says, to Frisk's confusion.

_Lamp?! Why would there be… Oh there is a lamp here._ Frisk wastes no time as he hides behind the lamp. Strangely enough it is a perfect shape and size to hide him, unless you are directly looking at him, you would not be able to see him. Frisk waits there with mounting anticipation and dread as the second skeleton monster and human hunting fanatic arrives.

"Sans! I should have known that I would have found you lollygagging again," Papyrus says.

"Sup Bro," Sans says.

"You already know what 'sup', brother! It's been eight days and you still haven't recalibrated your puzzles! You just hang around outside your station. What are you even doing?"

"Staring at this lamp. It's really cool. Do you wanna look?" Sans presents the Lamp with a boney thumbs up.

_No! No! No! Don't look at the lamp! What are you doing Sans!?_ Frisk thought as cold sweat freezes on the back of his neck. His spine tingles in dread at what Papyrus will do and what Sans is doing. Deciding to take a risk, he sticks his face out an inch to look out and see them. Frisk regrets it for a second before retreating, not wanting his pants to freeze either. But the look he got told him everything he needs to know about this Papyrus.

Like Sans, he is naught but bone, a walking and talking skeleton whom resembles a human long after death. Unlike Sans, Papyrus is tall in his stature and bulky in his build, surpassing his brother by a considerable margin. He can certainly be called big boned as his torso and arms outsize and out stretch Sans. He wears a heavy and crudely constructed suit of armor over his chest, with a flowing red scarf in the air. Sitting on top is a more stretched vertical skull, one overtaken by his large eyes and a toothy silly grin.

With the exception of Flowey, he is truly the greatest and most terrifying threat to him and his journey.

"No! I don't have time for that! What if a human come through here?! I must be prepared and ready to capture a human." Papyrus shouts as he throws a tantrum and stomps on the ground.

"I will be the one! I must be the one! I will capture a Human! Then I, the Great Papyrus, will be strong enough to become a member of the Royal Guard! I will receive recognition and respect. People will ask, to, be my friend?" Papyrus says to Sans, Frisk, the monsters back in the Ruins, and the sky itself. All the while striking a cool pose with his hands on his hip bones and boasting an enormous confident smile.

"Hmm... Well bro, maybe this lamp can help you." Sans says.

_No don't do that! Are you helping me or not Sans?! I can't be captured! And why do I have to be captured?!_ Frisk thought as he shakes behind the lamp, struggling to remain still despite wanting to leave. However, running away will definitely give away his position, he is stuck here for now and must place his trust in Sans.

"Sans! You are not helping! You Lazy Bones! All you do is sit around and boondoggle! You get lazier and lazier every day."

"Hey, take it easy. I've gotten a ton of work done today... A skele-ton." Sans winks and wags his fingers like crashing a cymbal.

"Sans! Not Again!"

"Come on. You're smiling."

"I am and I hate it!" Papyrus sighs. "Why does someone as great as me have to do so much just to get some recognition?"

"Wow. Sounds like you're working yourself… down to the Bone." Sans makes Jazz hands this time.

_Okay, that was a good one... He's a lot better than Toriel. Sorry, Goat Mom._ Frisk thought as a small smile creeps across his face.

"Ugh! Enough of this. I shall attend to my Puzzles. As for you and your work. Put a little more… Back bone into it. Nyeheheheh!...Heh." With that the sounds of footsteps and crushing snow return as Frisk sees the skeleton monster leave the area.

"Okay, you can come out now." Sans says and Frisk releases a sigh of relief as he leaves the lamp.

"Wow that lamp really was convenient." Frisk rejoins Sans. "But why was there a lamp at all?"

"Heh. Just one of my many bright ideas." Even Frisk couldn't contain his smirk, the fear within him shrinking but refusing to leave in Sans' presence.

"Well you ought get going kid. He could come back after all, and if he does... You'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes."

"Honestly, I really needed use a good laugh. This day has just been a conga line of crazy stuff. But I do have to get going." Frisk leaves Sans and returns to the path.

"Actually, hate to bother ya but can you do me a favor?" Frisk stops even as a piece of him commands him to continue. Something Frisk would like to do, but turns around to face Sans anyway.

"What is it?" Frisk says both curious and dreading what Sans will ask of him.

"I was thinking. My Brother's been kind of down lately and he's never seen a human before. Seeing you might just make his day."

_Nononononoooooo. There's no way I'm going to do that! It's bad enough he's trying to capture me! I'm not going to make it easier for him! This is a terrible idea!_ Frisk thought. "I'm sorry, but as great as that idea sounds, I really don't want to be captured."

"Hey neither do I kid. But you got nothing to worry about from Paps. He's not dangerous, even if he tries to be." Frisk raises his eyebrow, as this request fills him with so many questions.

"I'm not sure. That means I would have to expose myself. Sounds really risky and I've had a lot of close saves today already."

"I see your point. Well tell ya what, I'll keep an eye socket on you kid. You won't have anything to worry about." Surprise takes Frisk, as he did not expect that response from a monster, much less the brother of the one intent on capturing him.

"But he's your brother. Why would you want to help me?" He asks, genuinely curious to know his answer.

"Well let's just say, I got my reasons and besides you seem like you got a good skull on your shoulders. But hey it's your choice. So whaddaya say, it could be a lot of fun," Sans says as he winks his eye.

_A lot of fun? Yeah I've had enough fun today... But he really does seem to care about his brother. I don't know. I can't waste any time and the last thing I need is more monsters. But…_ Frisk gazes at Sans, his wide shining grin and pinchable cheek bones make him regret looking up.

"Alright. I'll do it," Frisk says with reluctance.

"Thanks a million Kid, I'll be up ahead waiting for ya." To Frisk's confusion Sans walks back the path they came, disappearing in the distance as he crosses the bridge to the other side.

"What the heck am I getting myself into?" Frisk returns to his path, the darkness hiding what lies ahead of him with only the frigid air to keep him company. Frisk stands for some time, unable to find the will to move forward. The possibilities of interacting with the Skeleton Brothers and their schemes weigh heavy on him.

"Can I really trust him? And what if I have to fight?" He turns to the side, towards a trek through the thick forest away from the path. While there are likely to be other threats, it will take him away from the ones before him too. Moments of indecision pass until Frisk sighs.

"Well there's only one way to find out, ready or not here I come. Hope I don't hate the answer."


	9. Chapter 9: The Puzzle of Snowdin Forest

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 9

* * *

In Snowdin Forest, it's far too easy to get lost, and one never knows what they will find if they linger here for long enough.

The forest is trapped in a perpetual winter, with countless mysteries and secrets buried beneath fields of ice and snow. Light scarcely makes itself known in the Underground, and thanks to the invasive branches of countless trees, the darkness of Snowdin forest is thicker than the densest of fogs. Even when one stays on the guiding path through the woods, one almost cannot see the destination ahead of them.

Here on this path, Frisk walks with all the haste of a tortoise. Every step forward is a struggle as his feet are seemingly entombed in gravestones, moving towards an inevitable fate he wants to avoid, but cannot escape. He knows that somewhere, anywhere, there are two monsters lying in wait for him to appear.

_Come on, Frisk,_ he thought, _how bad could it be? I mean, it's only two undead skeleton monsters from beyond the grave and a cave filled with other monsters… And yeah, one of them is a lot bigger, probably a lot stronger, and wants to trap you forever and you'll never see mom ever again…_ Cold sweat on the back of his neck freezes, not that it could chill his inflamed nerves.

_But you can do this. Mom wouldn't be scared of them, and that means you shouldn't be scared._ Frisk keeps a trembling death grip on the phone Toriel gave to him back in the Ruins. _Besides, one of them said that he would help you. That's nice of him. Just like Toriel; and there's no way that-!_

"So, as I was saying about Undyne," Papyrus says, causing Frisk to yelp and trip to the ground as the Skeleton Brothers appear out of the darkness in front of him.

_What the!?_ Frisk thought. _Where did they come from!? And how did Sans get here if he went the other way? And… And what the heck is he doing?_ Confusion fills Frisk to capacity as Papyrus spins excitingly side to side in place and wears an enormous grin on his face, like a child who found their birthday presents a week early. In contrast, Sans remains calm and cool as he tries, and fails, to appear surprised to find a human.

"Sans! Oh my Gosh! Is that… A Human?!" Papyrus shouts, making no effort to lower his voice.

"Uhhh… Actually, I think that's a rock." They look on at Frisk lying motionless and helpless on the ground as a snowy rock sits in-between them on the path.

"Oh. You're right." Papyrus drops his arms and face with a sigh of disappointed defeat.

"Hey, what's that behind the rock?" Papyrus repeats his exaggerated spin before turning around to face Sans once again.

"Oh my Gosh! Sans! Is… Is that a Human?!" Frisk raises an eyebrow, turning deadpan as question marks cloud his mind due to this repeat performance.

_Wait, does he not know that I'm human?  
_

"Yes." Sans answers both of their questions in an actual indoor voice as his words barely reach Frisk's ears.

"Sans! Do you know what this means! I finally did it! Undyne will have to… I'm gonna… I'll be so…"

_Fearsome…horrifying…Powerful…_ Frisk thought as dreadful mental imagery and scenarios with this skeleton monster play out in his mind. All of which end in him becoming a skeleton himself. Nevertheless, he cannot do anything to stop himself from hearing the answer.

"Popular! Popular! Popular!" Papyrus shouts to himself, to Sans and Frisk, to the ceiling, and the monsters back in the Ruins.

_Wait, what?! He's trying to capture me so he can be popular?_ Frisk's face becomes bewildered with Papyrus' motive and how such a thing can come about. Before Frisk's thoughts can sink in, the monster dynamically poses with one hand striking the air and another latched onto his hip. The monster stares at him intensely, and in this moment Frisk is already captured, unable to escape this dominating gaze.

"Human! This is your lucky day! Allow me to introduce your opponent in this game, myself! For I am the greatest champion of Monsterkind, the defender of Snowdin, and the finest member of the royal guard-."

"In-training." Sans adds.

"Sans! Do not interrupt me in front of the human. Where was I again? Oh, yes, now I remember! For I am the brave, the invincible, and the Great Papyrus!" The monster strikes combative and threatening poses. "So consider this your warning, Human! You shall not pass this area! I will stop you! I will capture you! You will be delivered to the Capital! And then..."

_Oh no, they're going to kill me! Or even worse, I'll be trapped down here forever! I'll never escape! I'll never see Mom ever again! And they have magic, too! What if they can do worse things?! Turn me into a snail and eat me. Kill me and bring me back just to do it again. Banish me underground-. Oh wait I'm already underground. But what else could they-!_

"Actually, I'm not sure what comes next. In any case, continue… Only if you dare!" The monster declares with a wide and welcoming smile on his face. The same kind of smile Frisk has come to expect from monsters and flowers. The monster leaves and disappears in the distance while Sans remains behind with him. Frisk is unable to move on, dreading to discover what the monster has planned for him. This continues until Sans approaches him with a casual demeanor.

"Careful kid. Think that hard on the ice and something will slip your mind." Frisk breaks into a series of desperate gasps, not realizing he was holding his breath. Yet he could not relish any relief, feeling trapped within the boney grasps of Papyrus.

"I can tell you're nervous. Take a breather if you need one, but don't sweat it. I got my eye socket on ya. So relax, otherwise, you'll freeze yourself." Frisk takes his offer, but shakes and trembles with frozen fear at the prospect of continuing on. He stares ahead, but cannot see what lies ahead behind his foggy breaths.

"Sans, I don't know if I can do this, there's got to be another way. Something else that I can do."

"Come on kid, you haven't even crossed the startling line and you already want to give up? No one should be lazier than me."

"But Papyrus really wants to capture me... I'm not ready for this. What am I supposed to do?" Frisk buries his face underneath his palms, but their cold touch brings him no comfort.

"Paps is just having some fun. He likes to talk big, but he's a lot smaller then he looks. And trust me kid, I'd say that you're already on the right path. Just keep on going the way you are now and I know you and Paps will have a lot of fun together." Sans says and leaves his soft mitten hand on Frisk's shoulder.

Frisk lifts his head to look into Sans' eye sockets and finds himself filled with cooling relief and burning regret. Frisk finds his words kind and reassuring, and a welcome phrase to accompany his smiling face. At the same time, he cannot deny there is a piece of him that wants Sans to be shouting them through a megaphone from a few miles away.

"Who knows? The two of you might be friends in the end." Sans says as he winks the light inside his eye socket.

The idea hits Frisk like a bucket of cold water. "Friends!? There's no way that will happen!"

"Kid, if there's one thing I've learned down here, it's never say never." Frisk remains still and silent until Sans departs to rejoin his brother. "Well, Kid, it's your choice, I can't make it for ya. Until then, I'll be waiting for ya." With that, Sans disappears into the distance and Frisk lets out a sigh as he returns to his feet.

_Friends. Yeah, everyone wants to be friends with a monster who's trying to capture them. Everyone probably loves him: "Oh, Papyrus, you captured the human who didn't do anything wrong! We all love you! Now let's kill him!" But then again, at least he's being honest… I think. I've never seen anyone be so wacky and scary at the same time._ Frisk thought as he begrudgingly walks down the path to join them.

_And as for Sans... I mean Sans is real nice too, and now that I don't have Toriel, I need all the help I can get. But he really wants this to happen. What is he getting out of this? Even Toriel was hiding secrets, how do I know that he's not?_ Frisk takes a deep gulp and tries his best to put the puzzle pieces together, but even he can see that he is missing a few or most of them at the current moment.

_Well, I'll just have to play along for now. At least they're not flowers, I'll give them that. I just hope that I really don't have to fight. But what if I don't get a choice? Just who am I dealing with here...?_ Frisk stops as he comes across a bizarre sight along the side of the road.

A sentry station stands on the side of the path. It is ramshackle and crudely constructed. It is a cut out of a large cardboard box with a square cut into the front with the flaps doing zilch to protect the inside from the elements. There is an inscription below the opening.

You Observe the well-crafted Sentry Station. Who could have built this, you ponder? I bet it was that very famous Royal Guardsman!

NOTE: Not yet a Very Famous Royal Guardsman.

"This place just keeps getting stranger and weirder."

"Hey you! Don't go anywhere. You're just what I needed." The sudden words stab Frisk in the back of his spine like an invisible icicle. He turns around as a blue bird monster flutters forth to confront him. He stares at him with two large mischievous eyes and a strange but ornate beak that stretches across his entire head like a snowflake.

Frisk backs into the cardboard box, wanting to disappear inside of it. But he is already too late as the monster entraps him. Behind his shut eyes, the monster's icy breath falls on him as he invades his personal space. He stands in-between a cardboard box and an awkward place with no way to escape.

"Ice puns are 'snow' problem." The monster says, and Frisk stands in a defensive posture, hoping he could melt away into snow. "Didn't like that one? Okay, how about this one: how 'Ice' to meet you."

Frisk opens his eyes in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asks and lowers his hands.

"Huh! That one sucked too. Okay. Okay. Umm… You don't have to give me the 'cold' shoulder."

"Wait, I've heard that one before… Wait, are you just making-?!"

"No! Someone else made that joke to you already!? I gotta up my game if I'm going to make it. I can't go back like this. This is my big gun; are you ready?!" The monster asks aggressively, thrusting the tip of their beak into his forehead and Frisk answers by retreating away from him with a frightful face.

"I had the best ice pun, but it 'slipped' my mind," The monster says, spurring Frisk to chuckle awkwardly as he wishes he could be anywhere else but here.

"I don't know what's going on," Frisk says.

"You mean I'm not funny," The monster asks in disappointment, eye wide and open with shock.

"Is that's what happening?" Frisk ducks to the ground as the monster fires off circular blunt objects of ice in every direction.

"Dad was right!" The monster cries, flying away into the darkness and leaving Frisk behind.

"What is it with everyone and puns?" Frisk whispers aloud as he escapes back to the path. He hopes that he does not find another monster anytime soon. But after walking down the path, he discovers he does not have to wait very long for the game to start.

"Sans! You're so Lazy! You were napping all night!" Papyrus argues with Sans, both unaware of his arrival as they stand across an empty field of ice. Papyrus cannot stand still while lecturing his brother, and Sans takes it all in stride with a cool grin.

"I think that's just called sleeping." Sans says.

"Excuses, Excuses!" They turn around to face Frisk and take notice of him, standing stiff as a cardboard box with quivering lips.

"Oh-Oh! The Human arrives!" Frisk whimpers as the monster addresses him. "So, Human, I see you have decided to take on my challenge. Allow me to assure you, I will not disappoint in capturing you, Human! In order to stop you, my brother and I have created puzzles to entrap and entertain you. I think you will find this one… quite 'shocking'." Frisk gulps as he hears that.

_Man… I normally love puzzles, but not right now… Oh well, at least I get a fighting chance this time,_ Frisk thought as he stops at the edge of a large square cleared of snow, leaving behind a thin consistent layer of snowy dust and ice.

"For you see, this is the invisible electricity maze!" Papyrus continues and produces a small glass orb from his armor. "When you touch the walls of this maze, this orb will administer a hearty zap! Sounds like fun? But actually, I think the amount of fun that you will have is small. But okay, you can go ahead now."

_Oh, yeah, I get to be shocked to death. That sounds like a lot of- wait a second… the orb is still in his hand. Does he not know that? Hmm… I wonder_. There is a soft electric hum in the air, revealing the hidden electric field under the square with only a single safe path to find and use. Frisk places one step onto the square. An electric shock stings in the air and a flash of white consumes Papyrus as he leaps into the air.

_I guess it does work, better him than me._ Frisk smirks and places his foot forward to repeat the action. As his foot approaches the edge, his heart twists from a ping of guilt. Frisk gazes at the monster intent on capturing and trapping him in the Underground: A monster with a wide smile and brother at his side. Frisk sighs and retracts his foot away from the puzzle.

"Sans! What did you do?" Papyrus stomps on the ground and throws another tantrum.

"I think the human has to hold the orb," Sans replies.

"Oh, okay. That makes senses." Frisk becomes stunned as the monster walks through the square in a careful and precise manner. As the monster approaches him, Frisk retreats like a cornered deer from an approaching wolf. Even if this one comes with a friendly face, it takes little for a smile to transform into a sneer.

"Hold this please!" The monster arrives before him and Frisk nervously accepts the electric orb, only for Papyrus to toss the orb into the air. The electric orb lands on Frisk's head with a soft thud and perfect precision. The feat would have impressed Frisk if Papyrus' presence did not come with a sudden spell of paralysis, ending only when Papyrus departs to rejoin Sans to Frisk's relief.

_So, I just gotta find a way through or I get zapped to death? Man, I hate these trial-by-error puzzles, and- wait a minute_. Frisk notices a trail of footprints within the square left behind by Papyrus. They are far too precise and intentional to be accidental.

_Did he not realize what he did? What is he doing?_ Frisk slowly walks through the square as he follows the monster's footprints to reach the other side in safety. It is easy and difficult at the same time. The entire trek is a painless one, but each step he takes brings him closer to the Skeletons. In the end, finishing the maze will take a single step, but Frisk could not help but imagine a bear trap waiting to snap off his foot.

"Incredible!" Papyrus proclaimed. "You slippery Snail! You solved it so easily… Too easily. I must work much harder on my future puzzles. I look forward to the challenge; truly, there is no joy like crafting Puzzles."

"You like Puzzles, too?" Frisk asks and gazes at Papyrus with a surprised smile, not expecting that from the monster.

"Indeed I do, Human, but do not fret! I am certain I will be able to capture you soon enough!" The monster's words turn Frisk's smile into a somber frown.

"In fact, the next puzzle will not be easy! It is designed by my brother Sans! You will surely be confounded! I know that I am. You will finally meet your match, Human! Nyeh heh heh heh heh!"

Frisk remains with an awkward smile to disguise his discomfort and dread as the monster leaves and Sans approaches. "Hey, thanks… I know this isn't easy for ya. But my brother seems like he's having fun. By the way, did you see that weird outfit he's wearing? We made that a few weeks ago for a costume party. He hasn't worn anything else since… he calls it his 'battle body.'

_So he makes his own Battle Armor, too,_ Frisk thought. _Well, he's certainly ready to fight me…_

"Isn't my brother so cool? Well, I'll meet you at my puzzle. It's a real killer. Just try not to step into something if you know it's gonna hurt ya." Sans' words catch Frisk's attention and sends a chill deep into his own bones.

_Wait, did he notice what I did? No way, that has to be a coincidence. Maybe? Well I guess he is your brother, so that makes sense. But then why is he helping me? Or is this the same kind of help that Flowey wanted to give me?_ Frisk thought as Sans walks on ahead with his back to him, waiting until he disappears in the dark distance. Only than does Frisk cast his hesitation away to follow Sans to the next puzzle.

He arrives at another square cleared of snow, where the skeleton brothers wait side by side for him at the front of the square. Despite their inviting smiles, Frisk puts as much distance between himself and them by entering the square. Frisk scans the area and searches as hard as he can, looking for anything: A switch to pull, death traps to evade, talking rocks to push. Instead, there is a piece of paper on the ground.

"Sans! Where is the Puzzle?!" Papyrus asks, sharing in Frisk's search for this elusive puzzle.

"It's right there on the ground." Sans points ahead at the piece of paper. "Trust me. There's no way the human can get past this one. Go ahead and try it kid."

"Uhh… Okay?" Frisk walks to the piece of paper, picking it up with closed eyes and shaking hands.

"What is it human!? I must know what it is!" Papyrus' words spur Frisk to read and discover the true nature of Sans' inescapable trap and undefeatable puzzle.

"It's… a word search?" Frisk says, not entirely believing what he is holding and carries it to the other side of the square with no difficulty. His eyes instinctively scan the mess of letters to find the words hidden within.

"Sans! That didn't do anything to stop the human!" Papyrus declares as they walk across the square to join Frisk on the other side.

"Whoops. I guess I should have used today's paper instead."

"What?! You mean it truly is a word search puzzle?! Sans I can't believe you chose that over everything else puzzles have to offer! Besides, in my opinion Junior Jumble is easily far harder,"

"What? Really, Paps? That easy peasy word scramble? Even baby bones can do that,"

"Unbelievable. Human!" The monster's words break Frisk out of his puzzle solving trance, a single word away from completing the word search.

"What's going on?! I was almost there,"

"We require an unbiased opinion. Which is more difficult: that simple and easy word puzzle in your hands or the truly indecipherable and impossible Junior Jumble. Solve this dispute for us!" Papyrus demands from Frisk.

_I don't know what to say,_ Frisk thought. _Both of those kinds of puzzles are real easy. I solved everyone I got on the back of cereal boxes and in the funny papers. There are puzzles way harder than either of these. But I gotta choose between them. I'm already on Sans' good side, I think… So I better make him happy..._

"Junior Jumble is harder," Frisk says, although his words come with great strain.

"Haha! I knew it. Humans must be very intelligent if they also find Junior Jumble so difficult to solve. Nyeh heh heh! You have excellent taste in puzzles, Human. But now it's my turn again. Proceed if you dare! I am confident this next puzzle will defeat you and I shall finally capture you!" Papyrus leaves with a spry in his footing to the next puzzle, leaving Frisk with a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Thanks for saying "Junior Jumble" just to appease my brother. Yesterday he got stumped trying to solve the horoscope," Sans says.

"Yeah, no problem." Frisk leaves while Sans stays behind, keeping his fabled eye socket on him. As Frisk continues, he looks over his shoulder and finds Sans standing there aloofly disinterested while Papyrus sprints ahead of him like a child on the last day of school before summer vacation. Leaving him trapped by both skeletons, and yet both seem lost in their own worlds.

_Or maybe I'm giving them too much credit… or too little credit. I'm honestly not sure. If they really are trying to capture me, they're really bad at their jobs. But I guess that's a good thing for me. I just hope my luck holds up._

Frisk continues to walk, his feet stomping on the snow covered ground as the wind sends chills across his spine. While not as severe as before, Frisk keeps his arms close to his chest, rubbing to create fleeting heat. He hopes to avoid becoming a snowman as a literal snowman appears on the side of the path.

"Well now I know how you feel like, Mr. Snowman," Frisk stammers as his teeth grind against each other.

"Thank you, Friend." Frisk slips and falls to the ground as a record skips and scratches inside his head.

"So… you can talk, too?" Frisk picks his head out of the ground.

"Yes, I can. And I was wondering if you can do me a favor," The Snowman says with a face of smiling black rocks and carrot nose.

"You know what? Sure. Why not?" Frisk throws his arms down in resignation.

"Here, take a piece of me, but not too much. A snowball should be good enough."

"But won't you melt?" Frisk asks as he returns to his feet.

"I'm made out of magic snow, so you don't have to worry about that. Go ahead." Frisk does as the snowman commands and removes a small snowball from the snowman's body.

"I've always wanted to see the world. Please take me with you. I will greatly appreciate it." Frisk takes the snowball and carries it inside his hands. Strangely enough, it does not freeze his fingers nor does it melt from his body heat. It even molds itself to fit inside his pocket with no difficulty.

"Okay, I promise that I will, and-!"

"There you are! I finally found you again!" Frisk turns around where he is confronted by the bird monster from earlier. He is accompanied by another monster this time. The second monster is described as a living snowman's head with smaller balls serving as a torso and limbs. The monster wears an enormous and ridiculous icicle hat that outsize the rest of their body. The monster looks visibly uncomfortable as the hat sits awkwardly on their head, lightly crushing them under its size and weight.

"Oh, do you have friends?" The snowman asks.

"I don't know?" Frisk squeaks as he cowers away from them, only to discover that he has nowhere to go, being surrounded by three monsters.

"This time for sure I got ya!" The bird monster proclaims. "You and Ice Cap will be my lovely captive audience."

"Fine," The other monster, apparently named Ice Cap, replies as best as they can. Their voice and body crunched under the weight and size of their enormous heavy hat. "Just don't take my hat. That goes double for you too Snowdrake."

"This time, you will laugh. All of you will laugh. Just like he is already," Snowdrake points at the snowman with their smiling rocky lips.

"Wait, you're doing this just to get a laugh? That's it!?" Frisk says in disbelief, expecting something worse.

"Of course I am! There's nothing else going on here. I don't need my parents," Snowdrake says.

"I didn't say anything about your parents."

"Good, because this has nothing to do with them," Snowdrake says.

"Do you like my hat? It's so cool, isn't it?" Ice Cap interrupts.

"Hey, I'm making the jokes here. So on with the 'snow'!" Frisk remains silent. "No? I put a lot of work into that one…"

_Oh… he just wants me to laugh… So that's what this is all about. Well if that's what he really wants._ Frisk readies to laugh, even if Snowdrake 'dropped' something in the worse example of toilet humor in history, he would force himself to laugh.

"Okay, let's try this one. You don't have to tell me that I'm funny, I already 'snow' that. 'Icy' that with my own eyes!" Snowdrake even poses slightly as he delivers the punch line.

"HahaHa." Frisk laughs unconvincingly, but satisfies Snowdrake "That's really funny. Thanks so much for the laugh, I'll never forget it." Frisk adds with a clumsily smile.

"You mean it? You're not being a snow fake, are you?!"

"No, I'm not," Frisk says.

"Darn it! That one didn't work." Snowdrake slaps his forehead.

"You like my hat, don't you?" Ice Cap says.

"Oh, that one flew straight over my head, and yeah, I guess your hat is okay."

"Flew over your head!?" Snowdrake says in shock.

"Just okay?!" Ice Cap says indignantly.

The two monsters back away from Frisk as they grumble among each other.

"What did I do wrong?" Frisk wonders.

"They don't seem very happy. You should be friends with your friends. Try to help them." The snowman says to Frisk. He stands at an impasse as the monsters wallow in disappointment. With their attention broken, it would be child's play to flee and escape them. Such a high effort doesn't seem to be necessary, with their sad and sullen faces. With great tribulation, Frisk makes his move.

" … Knock knock," Frisk says.

"Who's there?" Snowdrake answers.

"Snow."

"Snow who?"

"Snow laughing matter!" A moment of silence passes before he and Snowdrake share a laugh together. Even Ice Cap cracks a smirk.

"Wow, that's a good one! I really wish I could be funny. How are you funny? Please tell me your secrets, I have to know!" Snowdrake begs and demands.

"Well… I mean…" Frisk ponders for a moment. "I'm not an expert. But puns are real easy, and don't get me wrong. Puns can be funny at times, but jokes are harder to pull off. You have to setup the joke, and then you either give the obvious answer or the opposite thing as the punch line. You have to play with them and what people expect and how you say with the words, just like when you play with yourself."

"I see what you mean, and why do you tell jokes?"

"Jokes can make you happy when you feel sad, or they can take sad things and make them funny. At least, that's why I always liked making them…" Frisk says and casts his head down, his voice turning somber. "If I can laugh at something… then things don't feel as bad."

"You know…" Snowdrake says, "A friend of mine was freezing ice cubes for me. He was doing me a real 'solid'."

Frisk smiles as the joke brings warmth to his soul. "Thanks. I really needed that."

"Wait, I got another one for ya! What happens to the ground before Winter comes? Fall Leaves!"

"Haha! Now you got it," Frisk says, no longer hiding his smile away from Snowdrake.

"Wow, really?! Now I 'snow' what to do. Thanks a lot, friend!" Snowdrake leaves satisfied, yet Ice Cap remains behind and panics.

"No, come back, Snowdrake! I need all of you to look at my hat and-! Hey, wait, come back!" Ice Cap begs and Frisk turns around after attempting to leave. "How are you able to look away from my hat!? It's the best hat ever!" Ice Cap shouts as their hat almost falls off their head.

"Well, I didn't want to say anything, but that hat looks really uncomfortable on you," Frisk says. He cannot remove his eyes from that hat. With its impressive but awkward size it practically squishes the poor monster's head.

"Fine! I don't care! I love my hat-!" The hat falls off Ice Cap's head and without the pressure it reverts back to a cube of ice. Frisk flinches in surprise, stunned at this change and wondering how it happened. But thanks to talking flowers, talking rocks, and talking snowman; what was once abnormal for Frisk is now becoming familiar to him. If anything else, Ice seems far more comfortable and calm without the hat crushing their head.

"No! Give me back my hat! I need it to be cool!" Frisk steals the hat and watches as it melts away in-between his hands.

"Honestly, I think you look a lot cooler like this," Frisk says.

"Really?! You mean that?" Ice asks, desperate to know the answer.

"What could be cooler than a literal block of solid ice?"

"You know what? You're right! I don't need the hat. I can be cool just like this!" Ice says before dragging themselves away without using any limbs or modes of propulsion. Leaving Frisk astonished at the sight.

_I don't even know what to say anymore. But I guess they're both okay now. That's nice._ Frisk thought with a smile, his spirit warmer than it was before.

"Those were really funny jokes. Can I make one?" Frisk returns his attention to the Snowman. "Want to know what's the difference is between me and my girlfriend? Snowballs!"

"I don't get it." Frisk raises his eyebrow in confusion at the joke.

"Maybe when you're older," The Snowman says to Frisk's puzzlement, but smirks nonetheless, this whole ordeal turned out to be quite a pleasant experience. Despite it all, the monsters continue to surprise him with their strange and peculiar ways. With a smile on his face and snowball in his pocket, Frisk returns to the path and his journey.

As Frisk follows the path, it does not take long before he encounters two familiar skulls.

"Ah, there you are again, Human. So glad you could join us!" Papyrus says. Frisk stands at attention as both Skeleton brothers stand in front of him, blocking his view of whatever lies ahead. "I must congratulate you Human! You have managed to overcome our puzzles! You must be quite the Puzzle Master if you've made it this far!"

"Yeah, sure," Frisk says in a low and weak voice. While his previous monstrous encounter did raise his spirits, the presence of the undead skeleton brothers is enough to drag them back to the bottom of this dark Underground.

"Well, since you are quite the challenge, I took the time to create the most difficult, the most trial-some, the most ambitious puzzle that I've ever created in my career…!" Anticipation and dread build up within Frisk in waves of uneasiness. His mind flooding with mental imagery of what this fiendish final puzzle could be. The fact that such a delightful pastime could be perverted into these twisted ineffectual death traps is something he struggles to accept, although not as hard as the monster's desire to capture him.

"…Is what I would have said, if I hadn't elected to do this instead." The skeletons stand aside to reveal a picnic table with several paper plates and a steaming pot sitting on the center of it. The Skeleton brothers take their seats, inviting Frisk to join them, which he does with confused hesitation.

"Wait you're going to feed me?!"

"I know that we were having such a good time. But I decided that we could use a break, so I took the opportunity to prepare lunch for us all. Prepare your stomach, human, for the greatest and most famous Spaghetti in the entire Underground! All prepared by Master Chef Papyrus!" In swift movements, Papyrus opens the pot and scoops out spaghetti to serve the three of them plates full of hot spaghetti.

Meanwhile, Frisk ponders where food goes when a skeleton eats it.

The spaghetti settles on the plate. To Frisk's surprise; it is actual spaghetti with tomato sauce and sausage meat on top. There are no worms, no slugs, and no strange or abnormal ingredients. Like an actual dish delivered straight from the surface. The warmth it generates makes it difficult to resist despite the boney hands that made it; especially in this cold and dreary forest. A rich, beefy smell graces Frisk's nose, melting away all his concerns and questions inside his mind.

"Better dig in, kid. You don't want your food to get cold, do ya." Sans says, and for the first time, Frisk enjoys this moment with both skeleton brothers for the first time since meeting them.

"You know what, I think I will!" Frisk grabs a forkful of spaghetti and brings it to his mouth to eat and swallow.

Frisk falls from the chair onto the ground as he gasps in anguish. His hands dig inside his mouth to tear out its contents before he resorts to licking the ground to drink melted snow and wash out his mouth. The taste of the spaghetti proves to be an utterly devastating and critical attack, the likes of which Frisk has not experienced throughout his entire time in the Underground since Flowey.

"Oh my gosh! You love it! I can see how the flavor overwhelms you with its delicious delight! I'm so proud!" Papyrus boasts he looks on at the sight of Frisk burying his face into the ground with stars in his eye sockets. After a few moments, Sans joins him to grab his shoulder and give him some reassuring support.

"Actually, this spaghetti is not too bad for my brother."

_How is this not the worst thing that you could ever eat in the world?!_ Frisk screams inside his mind, savoring the rancid flavor of the monster candy he shovels desperately into his mouth as Sans stands over him.

"Since he's started cooking lessons, he's been showing a lot of improvement. I bet if he keeps it up, next year he'll even make something edible."

_You know what? You two really are going to be the death of me._


	10. Chapter 10: The Underdogs

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 10

* * *

Frisk struggles to his feet and groans a rancid moan as he tries to regain his bearings after his stomach's egregious ordeal. It took an hour of spasms and fighting the urge to throw up for the turbulent storm of turmoil inside his stomach to be quelled. As Frisk straggles on his feet, his tummy throbs in pain, and finds it hard to believe he managed to make it through the hour without losing his lunch. Not that he would have mourned its lost.

"Feeling better, kid?" Sans says, sitting at the picnic table.

"My stomach is still not happy, but it's not punching or kicking me anymore. So that's a plus." Frisk gives Sans a reassuring smile and the honest truth. Sans convinced Papyrus that capturing him in this condition would have been cheating and unfair. To Frisk's surprise, Papyrus agreed and when he insisted on remaining behind with him, Sans reassured both of them that he would keep watch. Papyrus left, deciding to prepare his puzzles further ahead on the path.

While Sans never left the picnic table, a true bag of lazybones, Frisk appreciated having the skeleton's company during this tumultuous time. Regaling him with many skeleton puns and jokes to their shared amusement. "You'll be glad to know that skeletons can't get sick. You wouldn't stand our coffin." Sans says, giving Frisk a brief chuckle.

"Thanks, I would laugh, but tibia honest, I can't think of anything right now."

"Well, at least your sense of humor is healthy. So… what are you going to do now kid?" Sans leaves the table to approach Frisk.

"I should be getting along right now. Thanks for keeping me company while I got better."

"No problem, kid. Put her there." Sans sticks a hand out in midair as Frisk stares at it for a moment. The boney hand sends a shiver along Frisk's own bones. Despite knowing better, Frisk cannot shake this fear and nagging suspicion that comes with being in the skeleton's presence. A reminder of the ultimate fate for all humans.

_If this is a trick or something, he's really putting in a lot of effort in hiding it. A lot more than his brother. But then again, he could have captured me at any chance. But he didn't._ Frisk raises his arm; the burden grows lighter as he approaches Sans' hand to grab it. A mild electric zap channels through Frisk's arm, not painful in anyway, but shocking nonetheless.

"Heh heh. Sorry Kid, couldn't resist." Sans lifts his hand to reveal the joy buzzer. Despite the prank, Frisk finds the skeleton's joke and grin infectious, as a smile spreads across his face.

"Honestly, I should have seen it coming. Especially from you," Frisk shares a laugh with the skeleton monster.

_Maybe he's the real deal and-!_ As Frisk shakes Sans' other hand, the chill in his bones spreads throughout his body, far more severe than any frostbite. _What is this? Where is this coming from?!_ His body is like a piece of ice, as equally cold and fragile, and a single push is all it will take to shatter him into a million pieces. Frisk yanks his hand away and down to his side.

"Something wrong kid?" Sans says, Frisk tries to regain a sense of normalcy, but a piece of him refuses to cooperate, twisting his words and posture into a shaking mess.

"Ye-Yeah. Eve-Everything's fine. I-It's just too cold out here. D-do-don't suppose there's some place warm around here?"

"You're about halfway to Snowdin Town. It's the only town in all of Snowdin, everything else is just snow, snow, and more snow." Sans points to an undisclosed point in the distance.

"A Monster town? I don't know, is going there really a good idea? Won't that cause trouble?" Frisk says, his shrinking and cracking voice revealing his fear.

"Ah you worry too much kid. You should get a warm welcome as long as you play nice with everyone. Just stay on that path and you'll get there… eventually. But in order to get there, you'll have to get past my brother's puzzles." Frisk releases an annoyed sigh.

"Isn't there any way to avoid them?! I really just need to get out of this place."

"Sorry kid, but no deal. My bro put a lot of work into his puzzles, and I ain't gonna let him down. I know I said I would keep an eye socket out for ya, but I'm not going to turn my back on Paps either. Hope you understand that."

"Fine," Frisk rolls his eyes, not happy but unable to be angry either. He cannot blame Sans for choosing his brother as opposed to a human he has known for a few hours. Frisk turns around and travels a short distance until Sans speaks.

"Well I'll tell you this kid. My bro ain't the only monster out there. So take good care of yourself and remember, don't leave the path you've chosen." Frisk turns around to speak.

"But what if they-" Frisk stops as he spots Sans leaving the area, once again he proceeds in the opposite direction. "…want to capture me?" Frisk sighs as he leaves the area.

_Other monsters._ Frisk stops in place. He shudders as images and visions flash throughout his mind. Heinous heathens with insidious intentions and malicious methods to carry them out flood into his mind, and he finds himself cowering into a mental corner. Frisk slaps his face to snap himself back to reality.

"Gotta stop thinking about stuff like that. Otherwise, I'll drive myself crazy." Frisk takes a few deep breaths to calm and collect himself before resuming his journey.

The darkness and cold remain constant companions everywhere Frisk goes, like a bitter houseguest who refuses to leave and turn off the AC. And even if the air suddenly became tolerable, the dense darkness forces Frisk to tread slow and steady, anything beyond the reach of his shadow at dusk is concealed from his sight. The trees do the scenery no favors; their black bark and daunting height make for imposing and unwelcoming sights, like something out of a children's horror tale.

But if there is one thing Frisk wishes he could eliminate from the rest of his journey, it would be the breeze. The temperature drops by a mile every time it hits him in the face like dozens of small and sharp icicles. As tempting as it would be to stay and make camp, Frisk knows the sooner he leaves, the sooner he can escape the bitter cold and these monsters.

The path breaks apart into a large clearing and Frisk stops in the center. His eyes open with astonishment as his lottery numbers are called out with the sight before him. "Yes! This is just what I needed."

Frisk crawls onto his knees as a campfire made of dry stones and wooden logs sit in front of him. Frisk takes a box of matches and strikes one of the matches to make a gentle and small flame. Frisk tosses the lit match back into the box where it can ignite the other matches into a small inferno. He slides the box into the bed of dry leaves and blows on the flame to feed it. His efforts prove to be successful as the fire grows and spreads to consume the logs.

Frisk melts into a puddle of glee and joy as the heat digs into his sweater, flesh, and bones. Risking a first-degree burn, Frisk holds himself mere inches away from the campfire. The flames dance with flashes of red and orange that reflect brightly off his eyes, not that he minds. Snow around the campfire melts, and his concerns disappear to join it.

"Man, this is great! So warm and hot! Man, Toriel would probably hate this if she caught me this close to-. Oh yeah… Toriel." A pang of sadness strikes his heart as the fire embraces him with its presence like a warm hug.

_I'm sorry, Toriel. You tried to warn me that the monsters would want to capture and take me away. You didn't want that to happen… but neither did I. I hope you can understand that, when Mom and I come back to see you. Everything will be fine once we're all together again._ Frisk recalls the phone she gave him and he uses it to dial her number. The tone rings a few times until it picks up. Instead of her sweet voice, he hears strange annoying dog noises, much to his disappointment.

_But what do they want from me? I just don't get it. Well, if I'm lucky, I won't have to-!_ " Frisk stumbles to his feet in realization of where he is and where this campfire came from. "...find out!"

As the light from the fire grows, the camp becomes more illuminated. The more he sees, the less he wants to know.

He is surrounded by five wooden sentry stations of various sizes, each one contains a wide range of weapons, armor, and personal possessions. There are countless bones scattered throughout the campsite; some whole, some broken, and some picked to the marrow. There are bowls along them, filled with a viscous red fluid as chucks of bones float around in them. The trees surrounding the camp have been stripped bare of their leaves, turning their branches into giant dead hands that reach out to entrap him.

"Time to go!" Frisk runs to the side of the campsite, to his relief there is an exit on both sides of this clearing. He grinds to a halt at the sight in the distance ahead of him.

There are four looming distant figures approaching him from down the path. Details are difficult to make out, but there is one small armored figure carrying a sword and shield. Two medium sized figures almost disappear into the darkness as they dress in black, only sticking out due to the axes hanging off their shoulders. And one hulking enormous monster that lumbers and towers over the rest of them by a considerable degree. They march down the path, coming towards Frisk in a deliberate and menacing manner.

Frisk runs back into the camp, frantically turning from side to side, searching for an exit. But there is only one option.

_Well I've seen talking rocks, skeletons, and flowers. How bad could a wolf be at this point?_ Frisk prepares to charge into the forest, only for a pair of furry arms to wrap around him and pull him into a hairy chest.

"So you're the one who turned on our fire! And with my matches too!" Frisk struggles to escape, shaking and squirming to no avail. The monster holds him with a powerful grip, as sharp claws dig into his torso and add fuel to the panic storming inside Frisk. With regret, he shifts his head to gaze upon the monster.

He is a hairy wolf monster standing on hind legs, more than double the size of Frisk on his tippy toes. He wears a black eye mask that covers his face, leaving his eyes and muzzle exposed. Sharp teeth stick out from his mouth, and Frisk cannot look away from the canine fangs. It takes a strange blue glow for Frisk to learn about the hanging dagger at the Monster's hip. Yet the strangest is the pink shirt with a happy dog logo stamped on the torso of the monster.

"Wait?! You're a human! Oh my gosh the others are not gonna believe this! I've captured a human! Me, Doggo of all guards! I can't believe it! I-Ow!" Frisk bites into the monster's arm to force a release, now free Frisk runs off away from the wolf-dog monster.

"Don't think you can run human! I got you in my sights! No one gets away from the Snowdin Sentry Canine Unit!" The monster's words spur Frisk to run faster as he throws caution into the wind and charges into the forest. A howl sounds in the air from behind, followed by responding howls that go on to echo around him from every direction. Frisk frantically gasps for breath as he gazes over his shoulder. He panics as the monster charges at him with a dagger in paw, its blue blade glistens in the darkness.

"Run as fast as you want human. You can't get away from us now!"

_So tired… Have to keep running… Can't stop… But so tired…. No! Have to keep going_. Frisk picks up speed as he charges through the forest. Breaking speed barriers as he runs and breathes faster; ignoring everything except his need for escape. The stress numbs and the exhaustion passes as a feeling grows within Frisk, a feeling he is becoming more familiar with.

Frisk is filled with- SMACK!

Frisk never saw the branch coming until it slammed into his head like a broken hammer, sending him on a tumbling fall to the ground. Frisk groans as he lies on the ground. "So happy I don't wear glasses and- oh yeah!" Frisk lifts his head, but he does not dare budge an inch as the monster arrives and stands over him.

_No! He caught me! This can't be happening! I can't go back to being trapped! Please, anything but that!_ Frisk remains alone in his thoughts and fears behind his shut eyes. Time passes as Frisk lies still upon the snowy ground. The chill hits his spine head on, but it comes in a distant second place to being captured. Even more time passes, so much time that Frisk finds it hard to believe that he is still here.

"Where are you human?! I know you're here because I can smell you. Can Humans really turn invisible?" Frisk bends his head towards the voice. He spots the monster searching for him as they give a thorough patrol of the area, despite him lying helplessly on the ground.

_Can he really not see me?_ Frisk shifts his head to get a better look at the wolf-dog monster stammering around in search of him.

"There you are!" The monster pounces on Frisk with his glowing blue blade. With no time to react, Frisk buries his face inside his hands and becomes limp as a dead fish. He remains motionless, as the monster comes for him. After a few paralyzing moments that stretch far longer than they actually are.

"I can't believe it. Humans really can disappear! Undyne was right!" Frisk lifts his head and sees the monster's paws standing a few inches away from him. A faint blue hue covers him and illuminates the monster as he stands over Frisk.

_He really can't see me. What is it too dark or something?_ Frisk thought on the edge of a razor blade. Against all odds, the monster is unable to see him, but all it will take is a single moment for that to change. And Frisk knows this monster does not work alone, and he is not interested in meeting his team mates.

"It was one job! We needed that human." Doggo frantically squeezes his head, an frustrated expression on his snout. "Ugh I really need a bone, but that darn kid used all my matches. My head feels like it's going to explode." The monster bangs their head with their paws, and Frisk cannot tear his eyes away, waiting for any escape opportunity.

"I just don't get it! I can smell the human; I know that they are here! What am I supposed to tell the others!?" When the monster turns around to scan his surroundings, Frisk leaps to his feet and stands perfectly still before he can complete the turn. To his relief, the monster does not react when they lock eyes with each other.

_Wow, he really can't see me._ Frisk thought as he waits for the wolf-dog monster to leave.

"I told them that I captured a real human! If I go back empty pawed, they'll kick me out!" His growing frustrations force the monster to grab onto his head as he paces in a circle. With the monster now mobile, Frisk follows as slowly and silently as he can to stay inside the monster's blind spot. Waiting for the best time to charge into the forest and never look back.

"Oh, no, what will Undyne say!? She'll kick me out for sure. I can't screw up again, I can't go back like this! Agh, my head hurts so much..." The monster sits on a snowbank and buries himself deep within thought. Frisk finds a golden opportunity, as the monster shuts their eyes tight and shoves their paws into their ears. Before Frisk sprints away, he spies the cringe and unease on the monster's face. The monster's pain shines clear as day in this faint blue aura emanating from the monster's knife.

"No bones, no human, and no job. What am I supposed to do?" Frisk approaches the monster and lifts his hand, taking special care that he can freeze on demand. The closer his arm comes to the monster, the slower and heavier it becomes. Frisk almost has to shut his own ears to silence the piece of him that shouts 'Flee' at him.

Frisk reaches Doggo and pets and scratches his head. Once that is done, Frisk returns his hand to his side and becomes motionless. He does not move an inch or muscle as he holds his breath, not easy as his heart is ready to leap out of his chest. Doggo responds by shaking his head with his tongue hanging freely, desperate to find the mythical and invisible source of the pet.

"Pet! I've been Pet! Someone pet me! To be pet by nothing; I really liked it! Oh my gosh! How is that possible?!" To Frisk's relief, Doggo does not register his presence and turns around away from Frisk. With another perfect opportunity in hand, Frisk casts his fear aside and takes advantage of this chance.

"There it is again! Someone is petting me, and without being there! We can get invisible pets on our heads! This is even better than finding a human! I have to tell the others about this!" With that Doggo runs and leaves Frisk behind, where he breathes a large sigh of relief and his nerves welcome the cold air for the first time.

_Wow I can't believe that actually happened, and that it worked too. Guess he was just a big silly doggy. Well, every dog needs their day_. Frisk finally leaves the area as he returns to the woods, eager to find the path before the other monsters find him. He makes his way through what seems to be an endless sea of snow and trees.

"Man, that was real close. Okay, just gotta find my way back to the path before they can find me. I got a feeling that the rest of them are not going to be-." Frisk stops in his steps and takes a heavy gulp. "-that easy."

Frisk lets out a gasp and falls into a nervous sweat as his mind struggles to accept the challenging sight standing before him. A monster of both small stature and size, but one whom wields a shield and sword in each paw. The shield is almost as large as their body and with a sharp short sword, prime and ready for battle. Even in this darkness, the grey tint of their armor and helmet stands out thanks to the icy snow that glistens white, a shine that becomes all the clearer as the monster approaches Frisk.

"A real-life knight in shining armor, and at night too. I'm guessing you won't let me pass-." Frisk doesn't get a chance to finish as he ducks to avoid a swing of the sword. Frisk tries to sidestep the monster, but they are quick on their feet and raise the shield to block his progress. Frisk is forced into a dance of complex maneuvers and evasions as he dodges the monster's attacks, in a series of jabs, swings, and parries.

They swing hard and firm at him, forcing Frisk to stay on the run to dodge the strikes with his elusive movements. In spite of the high fail rate, the monster is unrelenting in their assault upon him. Every move Frisk makes is either a response to a sword swing or an escape attempt is blocked by the shield. Despite the weight of the armor and weaponry, the monster keeps pace with Frisk even if their sword cannot. No matter what Frisk does, the monster is already there, waiting for him.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Frisk shouts at the monster. The helmet covers the monster's head, yet Frisk can tell this monster does not suffer from whatever visual impairment Doggo suffers from. It is the only explanation for how the monster is able to keep pace with him. Frisk could only imagine what terrifying and monstrous sight hides beneath that helmet. All he has is the piercing stare emerging from the black slot in the helmet's mouthpiece.

_Darn it! What the heck am I supposed to do? I can't get past this creep. And while he can't hit me, all he has to do is keep me here until his buddies show up._ The monster raises the sword high above their head and brings it down upon Frisk. Frisk falls down to the ground as the sword crashes in between his legs. The impact and force of the collision knocks the helmet off and Frisk can now look upon the face of this monster.

"Arf! Arf!" This lesser dog barks, as their frowning furry white head emerges with two pointed ears.

"Aww! You're so cute! That's just- AAHH!" Frisk rolls to the side as the monster swings the sword forward in a wide arc. As usual, it is slow and blunt, allowing for Frisk to evade it with ease, but all it takes is one hit to finish him. Frisk gets on his feet and retreats to take centerfold with the monster standing in front of him.

_Okay you're a dog too. But I guess your bite is way worse than your bark. But how am I…? Wait a second…_ Frisk notices the sad look in their eyes and pouting frown. Despite being a monster, they are still a dog. There is something wrong with seeing a dog in pain, it makes the fight and everything else disappear in an instant within Frisk.

"You're not happy, are you?"

"Arf?" They reply in earnest. His response seems to have taken them off guard.

"But there's one thing that I know about every dog." Frisk grabs a pile of snow into his hands and rolls it together as the lesser dog looks on with intense curiosity.

"Here, boy; I got something for ya!" Frisk holds a snowball in front of the dog while the monster looks on confusedly.

"Ummm… Here, girl?" That gathers her attention as she stares at Frisk and the snow ball with great excitement.

"Arf! Arf!" Her eyes doubling in size and tongue panting heavily.

"Come on! Who's a good girl? You are! You are! So go and get the ball!" Frisk throws the ball high into the air and over the lesser dog's head. In a second, her neck stretches 8 feet into the air where she catches it in her mouth. She proceeds to play and chew on the snow in her mouth.

_Okay I'm just going to ignore how creepy that is._ Frisk makes another snow ball before her attention can return back to her sword and shield and the task at hand.

"Here Girl! You want the ball, right? Come and get it!" She extends her neck towards Frisk as she attempts to acquire the snowball from him. Frisk is forced to juggle the ball in-between his hands to keep it away from her. It is not easy as her neck limits his movements and she moves at a speed that far surpasses the swing of her sword. Frisk tantalizes her by scratching her furry, warm head.

"Yeah, that's right! You don't want to fight, girl! You want to play! Isn't that right, girl?"

"Arf! Arf!" She pursues the snowball with greater attention, dropping her sword and shield to Frisk's satisfaction. Their fight now a playful duel over control of the snowball as Frisk becomes entangled within her elongated neck. Frisk must admit her excitement has an infectious quality as his own eagerness rises, although he preferred the warmth coming from her furry head and neck.

But all good things must come to an end.

"You want the ball! Don't ya, girl? Well, go and play fetch!" With her neck surrounding Frisk, she is unable to retrieve the snowball as Frisk tosses it into some distant place deep inside the forest. She returns to her body and runs off to find the snowball in a flash of white and grey. Frisk runs in the opposite direction, needing every second he can get to put distance between the two of them while she stays entertained. Frisk runs until he needs to stop and catch his breath, confident that the dog is far behind him.

_The first one said "Canine Unit", and both of them were dogs, so all of them must be dogs! Aw, man, I always wanted a dog. I don't want to fight dogs! I love dogs! But why are we even fighting at all? I don't understand any of this._ Frisk braces himself against a tree to support and steady himself.

_You said "other monsters", Sans. You really weren't kidding. Would have been nice if you gave me some help or something. So much for that eye socket. Guess I'm all on my own out here. Well, hopefully I won't have to meet the other...!_ "-dogs!" Frisk shouts as the tree he was leaning against falls to the ground, landing with a thunderous crash besides him.

"Okay, I don't remember having super strength?" Frisk says and shoves his hands inside his ears. Luckily, this shields his hearing from the second tree that falls and crashes to the ground behind him. Frisk leaps into air in shock as both trees slam onto the ground, breaking the snow with their impact to reveal the dirt underneath. Their prickly branches are rough to the touch as they surround him on every side, entrapping Frisk in-between their sizable trunks.

"Prepare yourself Human!" A voice says.

"For it shall do you no good." Another voice says.

"To loyally safeguard the monsters of Snowdin Forest."

"In service to the Kingdom of Monsters and his Royal Majesty."

"To Retrieve and Capture the Final Human."

"And to reach the Surface once and for all!"

"For we are the Canine Sentry Force! Both voices say in unison.

Two figures emerge on top of the trees. They are dressed in black body suits, which enable them to blend in with the surrounding darkness. Even from this short distance, it is difficult for Frisk to see fine details as they appear to be black blobs in this darkness. There are two details that stick out and let Frisk know where they are: the white snouts that stick out of their hoods and the mighty battle axes in their paws. Frisk runs down the middle space between the trees towards the opening at the other side.

His path is blocked as one monster drops down in front of him, the axe held in their paws. Frisk staggers at the impressive weapon, the blade alone is the size of his head and the strength to carry them and cut down these trees must have been far greater. A collision sounds off behind him, and Frisk sees the other monster repeated the same action on the opposite side. Cutting off both exits to him, he stands in-between these trees filled with fright as the monsters approach.

"I must admit human, you gave us quite the chase. But the game is over. You cannot hide from our noses." The monster says as he points to his snout. "Come along with us to Undyne and there will be no troub-."

"Oh, Dogamy sweetie. The human is so adorable! And he's a child too. Doesn't he remind you of the little munster's child?" She says as she brings her paw to her mouth, lifting her hood to reveal her puppy dog face with her floppy ears and large eyes.

"Dogaressa, my dear! You have to stay focused! You know what Undyne has told us about the humans!" Dogamy says.

"Oh I know, but I can't help it. Just look at him, I want to pinch his puny little cheeks." She says in a sweet voice while wielding her battle axe.

"Please stay focused. We need to capture the human for Undyne."

"But he's just a child. Why, with the right amount of hair, he could be a pup! Can't you imagine it?" She cheers with excitement, bringing her paws to cuddle her face.

"This is hardly the time or place, dear." Dogamy exposes his doggy face, older and more refined with a goatee of sorts on his chin.

"It could be if you wanted it. We received approval a while back and you still hesitate."

"You already know why. Which is why we have to capture this human-! Wait where did he go?!" They look down at the empty space where Frisk once stood.

Meanwhile, Frisk buries himself within the prickly branches of the evergreen tree as he climbs over it to reach the other side. Not an easy task, these trees have lived for decades if their height and thickness is any indication. Every needle from the tree digs into him as they scratch and cut into him and the thick sap from the tree clogs his face and nose, making the process as difficult as possible. As he reaches the peak of the tree, he's almost at freedom when two paws reach out and grab his legs.

"No! Let me Go!"

"Sorry, human, but that is not going to happen."

"Please come with us quietly, human. Don't make this harder than it has to be." Both monsters pull Frisk back from the tree while he holds onto the tree with a death grip. Even with all his strength, his grip slips as the two monsters far outmatch his might. Frisk falls away as his hand slips from a branch to its tips, and soon even that will be lost.

_No! I can't be captured! They'll put me away! I'll be trapped again! I won't be able to find… Mom!_ Frisk closes his eyes as he puts their hold out of his mind, remaining focused on the branches of the tree; his freedom. _No! I won't let you take me away!_

Frisk kicks both paws off of him in a single motion, throwing the both of them back. Frisk grabs branch after branch to ascend the tree in record time, putting all the stings and sap away until he reaches the peak and tumbles to the other side. Frisk pants as he stumbles face first unto the snowy dirty ground.

"I miss Sans and Papyrus, at least they would throw me a bone." Frisk gets up to sit upon his knees.

"Nice try Human! Run all you like, but you can't hide from our noses!" Frisk panics as he gets up to run, slipping back to the ground due to the exposed mud far beneath the snow. Frisk slams his fists into the ground in frustration.

_No! I don't need this right now! I have to- wait a sec._ Frisk sniffs the dirt. It has a damp earthy smell as frost sizzles off from it. _This is exactly what I need… Why does this have to be what I need?!_ Frisk casts his hygiene needs away as he rolls and digs himself into the exposed dirt, bathing himself in earthy and snowy stench from head to toe.

"There better be a bathroom here somewhere." Frisk pinches his nose.

"There you are Human!" Frisk does not look to see who said that, sprinting off into the forest as fast as his legs can carry him.

Their chase reaches deep and far into the forest as Frisk flees from the two monsters. His head start and their heavy battle axes are enough to keep Frisk ahead of them, but as his muscles start to ache and sore, he knows his lead will not last for long. Not helping is that their black body suits are ideal to conceal their presence in the darkness. Once he loses them, he won't find them again until they find him. The constant thumping echo of their footsteps is the only sign that they remain in pursuit.

_Man, I really hope this trick works._ Frisk halts his sprint and retraces some of his steps, taking special care that his steps fall within his existing snow prints. He walks to a tree, wiping away the new prints that he leaves behind as he goes. Frisk climbs into the tree to hide among its branches. He wraps his arms tightly around the trunk. The sap contributes to disguising his scent, and he hopes it will conceal him from the monsters.

It does not take long until he is no longer alone as they stop and stand beneath the tree that Frisk clings to as if the tree were suspended over an active volcano.

"His tracks stop here! But where did he go? Can humans truly turn invisible?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Undyne has said that humans can do many things."

"Well, he can't hide from our noses. Sniff for his scent: Rotten wet wood, barley & smokey tobacco, with a hint of asbestos…" The two monsters take heavy whiffs as Frisk sweats up in the tree. For once, he is thankful that it will freeze in the cold air; the last thing he needs is his own perspiration to give him away. Until then all he can do is just wait until they find him or they don't.

"Perhaps we were being too rough on him," Dogaressa says.

"We had to, my dear. He never would have come with us willingly," Dogamy replies.

"He's still a child. Barely younger than any pup. Must we really do this?" She says, with assertion this time.

"A human child. You know the law: all humans that fall down must be given over to King Asgore. Besides, better with us than with Undyne."

_King Asgore, Miss Toriel told me that name. So he's the one in charge and it's law that I have to be captured! And just for being a Human! What the heck is wrong with this place?! I haven't done anything wrong!_ Frisk thought hanging in the tree, careful not to stir around too much from his noisy thoughts. Even if his scent is hidden, the sounds of his movements are not.

"I know. But now that I've met one and one so young… I just don't know if I can." Silence passes between both of them, but it is impossible not to miss the somberness of her words. It peaks Frisk's curiosity, and he hones his ear to listen to their conversation. When that fails, he shifts to a tree branch that hovers over Dogamy and Dogaressa. Frisk makes his steps so small that a baby would say that he is moving too slowly, not that they would complain in his shoes.

"Why does this bother you so much, sweetie?"

"When we have pups of our own, how can I look at them knowing what my 'help' did to another child? Even a human one... What would they say about us if they learned the truth?" Dogamy sighs as he walks to Dogaressa and grabs her shoulders.

"I know how you feel. This isn't easy for me, either. But don't you want our pups to see the sun sinking into the horizon, the moon rising to take its place in a starry sky? They'll be the first monsters on the surface to know them, and not just from legends or fake props in the air. Don't you want that for them?"

"Yes. I do. So very much. I just wish there was another way." Frisk sees Dogamy give a gentle but reassuring hug to Dogaressa, he notices that they have dropped their axes to the ground and remove their face masks. As expected, they are white in fur with large pointed ears, but small cute black noses sitting on their snouts.

Frisk spies as they take the moment to nuzzle together with tender affection. There are tears in their eyes as they reminisce on their words and on each other.

_Wow... So that's what it looks like_. Frisk gazes on with stunned astonishment at the sight of the lovely doggy couple. It satisfies a curiosity that he did not know he had, it fills him with guilt for eavesdropping on this private moment, and even more surprising brings a tear to his eye and an ache deep within his heart. In the end, Frisk decides to take a risk.

"Uhh! You didn't have to pet me." They say and separate from each other in surprised unison.

"Wait? Can dogs pet other dogs?" Dogamy asks.

"I never thought of it," Dogaressa replies.

The two of them proceed to pet and stroke each other's heads. The act fills them with delight and excitement as their pets become intense and heavy. Like a trance, they become engrossed with their discovery. Finally, they pick up their axes.

"We must tell the others about this revelation!" The two of them run away from the area, leaving it empty. Once enough time passes that Frisk feels content and safe, he climbs down the tree and returns to the ground.

_They really are good dogs. But to see the sun? What is that supposed to mean? I wish I could ask them… but I don't think they're in the right mood to answer me. Maybe when I run into Sans again… he's got a lot to explain_. Frisk leaves in the opposite direction that the dogs left.

It takes time and effort, but Frisk is able to return to the path with a heavy sigh of relief. Secure in the dirt and filth that covers his body, he decides to take comfort in the fact that his scent is hidden from the canine squad. Frisk follows the path as it takes him out of the forest and into a large, open field that sits alongside an expansive and large stone cliff; it sits like a tall wall that breaks the forest in half through sheer elevation. Luckily the path follows a stairway that climbs into the sky, connecting the forest and cliff together.

"Holy cow, how big is this place?!" Frisk shouts as he nervously stares across the open field. Anyone would stick out like a massive sore thumb in this field of snow, and now there's no tree cover to hide him or to block out the limited light from above. This increase in visibility brings Frisk some comfort now that he can see the horizon, but it also comes with a warning.

Even with his scent hidden, it would be easy pickings for him to be spotted by the canine force or some random monster. Although now the earthy and muddy smell reaches Frisk's nose, he finds it hard to resist the temptation to clean himself up. The ice that clings to him like frost does not make the ordeal any more comfortable.

"This is what I need." Frisk approaches a large snow puff in the ground near the tree line, picking up piles of cold snow and rubbing between his hands to melt it. He uses the melted water to wash away the dirt and wipes away the moisture before it can freeze. He does it in small quantities, since the last thing he wants is hypothermia. Frisk removes a significant portion of the dirt away from his body and wipes his face under his striped sweater. He digs into his eyes to remove any lingering trace of dirt and frost.

"Okay at least that's finally- When did I become 15 feet tall?!" Frisk speaks in shock as the ground sinks further away from him. In a fright, Frisk slides down along the side of this armor and falls to the ground where he lands on his butt. Frisk is unable to turn around or to charge forward as two heavy paws reach down and grab him.

_Oh no, not this again! Please don't see me! Please don't see me!_ Frisk thought as the two enormous white paws casually pick him up with no effort. The paws turn him around to bring Frisk face to face with the final member of the Canine Sentry Force.

"Woof! Woof!" Barks the enormous snow-covered dog monster and that word is putting it lightly. He surpasses Toriel and Papyrus with his height and has the bulk to match. If Frisk was standing on the ground, he wouldn't be able to reach the monster's torso. A torso so big that he could hide inside and no one would be none the wiser. The monster would have no problem carrying three clones of Frisk arm to arm and he knows his weight poses no issue to this monster.

"Hi!" Frisk says with a nervous smile as he stares at this enormous, brutish monster with a goofy smile and hanging tongue. Ironically enough, the monster's head is comically small when compared to the rest of their body.

"Woof! Woof!" The monster barks in his face, the volume at this close proximity makes it all the louder.

"And your bark is definitively worse than your bite… At least I hope it is." The monster takes Frisk in his grasp, walking back the path into the forest, carrying Frisk like a case of luggage.

"Hey! Put me down!" Frisk squirms in place as he tries to escape, but the monster is able to overpower him with ease. As hard as Frisk struggles, he cannot break the hold of the monster. The only comfort Frisk finds is the warmth that comes from his paws and the lack of any crushing pressure, since the monster carries him with a gentle grip.

_Well, this is just great! I'm literally being be taken back to square one! What was he even doing here-_ "Wait a second." Frisk notices the many undistributed snow puffs in the field. When he retraces their steps he spots the snow puff he was using to clean himself, now broken and destroyed. Frisk looks at the monster, their body and armor covered by snow in certain places.

_Oh… you didn't find me… I found you._ Frisk's heart sinks deep into his chest, until another light bulb turns on in his head and he slips his hand into his sleeve to grab something.

"Hey, Doggy. I got something for you." This Greater Dog shifts Frisk in front of his face with their large goofy smile and hanging tongue. Despite the warmth that comes from his large furry hands, it pales in comparison to the look on his face as it radiates heat and happiness with his smile alone. Frisk raises his hands and his sleeve drops to reveal the stick he picked up in the Ruins.

"Here Boy. You like this don't ya! You just wanted to nap till I came along. So how about a stick instead?!" Frisk wags the stick in his hand which excites this Greater Dog, as he follows the movements of the stick and hangs his panting tongue.

"You want the stick, don't ya? Well, go and play fetch!" Frisk throws the stick into the distance. Instead of dropping him on the ground, as Frisk expected, the Greater Dog places Frisk around his neck. Frisk instinctively grabs the monster's furry head to balance himself as the dog grabs his legs to keep him secure.

"Whoa! Take it easy! This is not what I…! Not what I… Oh my gosh, this is so fun!" Frisk says as he rides atop of the charging dog who chases after the stick. The air flows through his hair and sweater, his blood rushes from excitement, and Frisk sticks his own tongue out as he cheers from joy and glee. When the greater dog retrieves the stick, he returns it to Frisk. Frisk wastes no time throwing the stick again as the Greater dog takes him for a ride throughout the open field.

The Greater Dog charges along the side of the cliff. Frisk takes the opportunity to rub his fingers along the side of the rocky wall, the risk and danger excites him as his hand scarps against the side of the wall. When the Greater Dog runs back into the field, the ride does not lose its momentum or velocity. Every time the Greater Dog returns the stick to Frisk, he throws it harder and further away. The thrill is like riding a motorcycle and it never loses its effect as Frisk and the Greater Dog take delight in this chase.

They do it again… and again… and again… and again. Both of them are lost in their frivolous affair. Neither want it to end.

"Rocky!" Frisk and Rocky stop as the rest of the Canine Sentry Force arrive in a line to overlook the two of them. Rocky whines as he places Frisk upon the ground and leaves to join the others. They surround Frisk, leaving him with no way to escape as his back brushes against the hard-stone wall. Frisk picks up the stick from the ground as he confronts them.

"Okay, Human. You let us all on a merry chase, but the game is over. Please come along with us quietly and no one has to get hurt." Dogamy commands as Frisk pats the stick against his hand.

"I don't think any of you want to fight me. I mean all of you are just dogs. We're supposed to be best friends. Am I wrong?" The canine squad remains silent, until Dogaressa speaks.

"You're right Human. We don't want to fight you." She says and holds a paw over her heart.

"Arf! Arf!" Ilsa The Lesser Dog says in agreement, Rocky the Greater Dog casts his head down in guilt, and Doggo cannot bring himself to look at Frisk.

"Please, just let me go. I haven't done anything wrong and I promise that I won't do anything bad! I just want to go back home. Can you please let me go?" Frisk can see that his words stroke accord with the other members. They either do not know or don't try to conceal their guilt. The exception is Dogamy who remains stolid and defiant with a battle axe in paw.

"I'm sorry, human, but we can't do that. None of us can do that. As long as you are down here, we have to capture you. Even if we agreed to let you go, others will take our place. I do not know what brought you here, but it was a mistake." The words hit Frisk's heart and deal more damage than any axe ever could.

"But why?! Why do I have to be captured?! What do you all want from me?!" Frisk demands an answer from them with tears in his eyes, no longer caring if they freeze to his face. None of them have the courage to answer… except Dogamy.

"Because this is the only way that we can go back home. I am so very sorry for this Human." Dogamy speaks in a broken voice, he pauses and commands. "This is the kingdom of Monsters. And by the authority invested in me, you will be taken to King Asgore."

At this point, the axe is no longer necessary. The words alone bring Frisk to his knees as he realizes the enormity of the task before him. The whole of the Underground will wage war against him for the crime of being human. The sum total of his experiences with Monsterkind thus far left him stunned and torn in half. From the kindness of Toriel to the maliciousness of Flowey, he now sees with his own eyes where Monsterkind stands as Dogamy picks up his axe. "Now please come along quietly with us, there does not have to be a fight today."

Frisk sighs with disappointment as Dogamy approaches him. Meanwhile, Dogaressa looks on with fear in her eyes before turning her gaze to others as they all nod together.

"Well… I guess there's nothing left to say." Frisk chooses to surrender, deciding it would be better to not fight now and to flee another day, preferably before he meets these Undyne or Asgore people. Frisk raises his hands into the air with the stick in hand and his heart sinks to the bottom of his chest.

Frisk and Dogamy are startled as Dogaressa, Doggo, Rocky, and Ilsa howl with all of their vocal might. Their howls soar into the air where they collide into the accumulated snow and ice along the sides of the cliff. Their chorus of howling is enough to trigger a small avalanche. It comes crashing and tumbling down the side of the cliff with the sound of thunder towards the assembled crowd.

"What have you all done!?" Dogamy shouts.

"Saving you. Now let's go, my dear! Please!" Dogaressa pleads with urgency in her voice.

"Not without the human! We have to take him to-!" The stick goes flying in the air as it soars to a safe place far from the avalanche's danger zone. Following their canine instincts the dogs charge after the stick to retrieve it, ensuring that they will all be safe and sound. Before Dogamy can give into his instincts, he takes one final look at Frisk. His arm extended and hand empty, his one and only weapon abandoned, in order to save this band of dogs.

"Thank you human." Dogamy leaves as the avalanche of snow plummets, leaving Frisk free and with a smile on his face. The avalanche is small in its size, but not lacking in power as it comes crashing down over Frisk. Having no time to think or waste, Frisk flees as far and fast as he can. He spots a cave opening at the bottom of the cliff, and he charges towards it with all of his might. He moves with a power beyond what he can muster alone.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

His legs lose all their weariness and exhaustion, as Frisk powers through faster than he ever has before. With moments to spare before the snow hits the ground, Frisk throws himself inside the opening of the cave. He falls within the safety of the cave as the snow hits the ground, burying & blocking the opening under an avalanche of thick snow. Frisk manages to evade the impact and force of the collision unharmed as he lays sprawled on the ground, tired and beaten, but alive and in one piece.

It is now he realizes the reality of his new situation.

"So now I'm trapped Underground… in the Underground. That's just great."


	11. Chapter 11: Batty Business

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 11

* * *

"Don't care what anyone says, I'll take raining cats-umm... dogs and more dogs any day." Frisk says in between deep heavy breaths after evading a snowy avalanche. Frisk braces his arms and legs against the hard, rocky floor. It takes one moment and a scan of his pitch-black surroundings for the gravity of the situation to shock him like a kick to his shins.

"Oh, no!" Frisk staggers to his feet, his hands cover his mouth to contain sorrowful murmurs. Darkness leaves the space and size of this chasm a complete mystery within his mind and terror on his face. Frisk flies to the cave opening, where he tries to claw his way through the snow.

"No! I don't want to be here! Get me out of here!" Frisk cries, but his hands are little more than spoons against the frozen barrier. The abundance of frost burns his hands as he tries to dig an exit with no end in sight. A chunk of snow drops onto his head, forcing Frisk into the scratch he's made against an impregnable wall of snow and ice. He punches and kicks the barrier to no avail, letting out a wail of disappointment at his failure.

"…Okay, Frisk." He takes a deep gulp as his fingers jitter together. "This is no big deal. You were already trapped underground. This is no different. Everything is just… ju-just… trapped-!" He resumes punching and kicking the wall of ice and snow.

"Dogs! Please come save me! I don't want to be trapped here! I'll go with you to Undyne! Just please get me out of here!" His efforts remain in vain and his hopes for escape plummet along himself, as he sinks to the ground, heavy with despair and defeat. He is reduced to a whimpering mess on the ground, until a strange sensation pulls on his leg.

"Yeah, there's a joke I can get behind." Frisk mumbles into the snow, the darkness and peril of being trapped weighs down on him like a mountain on his back. Yet the sensation refuses to give up, growing in strength until it becomes something familiar. Frisk grabs the ground and returns to his feet, finding the strength to enter the darkness.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

"Alright Frisk. You're trapped again. Big deal. All you gotta do is find the way out. Easy peasy. There has to be a way out, and you're gonna find it. After all, Mom wouldn't be scared, so I won't be scared either," Frisk takes a deep gulp before moving on carefully into the unknown.

The darkness diminishes as his eyes adjust, but everything beyond a handful of steps stubbornly refuses to make itself known. Despite having room to walk, there is little more than that, and the limited space leaves him as fragile as a melting ice sculpture. His one fleeting delight is that the chasm keeps the cold of Snowdin at bay, allowing Frisk to hang his arms freely.

"At least the worst thing about tunnels is they're boring... Please be boring!" Frisk says with an awkward smile and fist pump in a vain attempt to raise his courage, searching for the light at the end of this tunnel with quiet desperation.

The tunnel slithers and winds like the inside of a stone snake. Frisk finds the trek through the tunnel as easy as his passage but as hard as the stone floor. To his everlasting relief, this tunnel does not have any dead ends, monsters, or puzzles, leaving him safe for the time being.

However, Frisk could not decide which is worse, being trapped alone in the dark or trapped with monsters in the Underground.

His sole companion is the cave's total silence, broken by his whimpers and the faint distant echo of dripping drops. Leaving him unnerved at what could be crawling in this chasm, concealed by this veil of shadows. If undead skeletons, mad dogs, and talking snowmen could all be monsters, than what couldn't be a monster. What will come next, waiting for him in these tunnels?

The answers to these questions leave him in a state of dread, just as darkness leaves in him in a never-ending quandary of where to go next. He is trapped with no idea of where he was, where he is, or where he will go next. The entrapping walls follow his every step; shrinking closer to him the deeper he goes. Whether it's reality or a cruel trick of his mind, he cannot tell.

Whenever a twist or fork comes across his path, Frisk follows his gut. But Frisk cannot help but wonder if his gut is getting its long-awaited revenge for eating the monster candy and spaghetti. The tunnels are a virtual labyrinth and it takes every fiber of Frisk's being to remain calm. Not that screams of distress will help in a place where no one could hear him and those that could would be bent on capturing him.

Nevertheless, he continues, trapped within this prison buried beneath a mountain.

_C'mon Frisk. Just keep on going. Don't stop. Stopping will keep you trapped alone-!_ An ear-piercing screech slices through the air. The echo carries it in all directions, leaving no way to trace the source. The screech leaves Frisk stunned and motionless, his mind crashes with the realization that he is no longer alone.

_Calm down, calm down! Okay, I'm not alone. But this place is huge! There's no way they'll be able to find me. Heck, I can barely find myself. So everything is going to be-!_ Another screech sends Frisk on a frantic charge down the tunnels, following wherever it takes him, no longer caring where they lead or for any hazards that could be concealed by darkness.

Every few moments, another screech cries out in the chasm. The screech drowns out the cries of his limbs begging him to relax. Yet no matter how fast he flees or how far he travels, he cannot escape. He is unable to tell where the screeches are coming from or if he is running around in circles.

_Where is it coming from! It's everywhere! How do I get away-! There it is!_ Frisk's heart almost stops, spotting a glowing blue light ahead of him. Without a second or thought to spare, Frisk stampedes his way towards the light.

_Finally the exit! No more monsters! Now I can go outside where... okay, never mind, but at least I won't be trapped any... Wait, why isn't it getting brighter?_ As Frisk approaches the blue light, he notices it remains the same size, and upon closer inspection, is mobile. Before Frisk can process the situation, he receives an answer to his question. Another screech fills the air, far louder and nearer than any of the previous ones.

There is no echo to amplify the sound. Frisk has found the source of the screeches, and there is not enough distance or footing for him to stop.

_Oh no! Please don't be bad! Please don't be bad! Please don't be... a Bat!_ Frisk thought as the lighting briefly exposes the head of a fruit bat. A black, rugged, hairy head with empty black eyes, twisted fangs, and long, sharp ears. Frisk cannot glean any more details as he collides into the monster.

Everything goes dark and glass shatters upon the ground. Frisk staggers to the floor and sits paralyzed with fear. Unable to see anything, but knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt the monster is mere inches before him. As if to announce themselves, there is one final screech. The strongest and loudest one of them all as it descends upon Frisk. Every second of silence stretches until it becomes a small eternity for Frisk, helpless against this monster and whatever they plan to do, now that he is in their clutches.

"Owie! Who the heck are you and where did you-?!" The monster says and Frisk remains still as the scene plays out in the darkness. There is a gasp of shock. "My crystals! You big klutz! I needed them for Dad and now they're broken! These are useless now. I spent all night getting them and now I have to start all over again!"

An ounce of guilt blends with Frisk's fear, the frustration in their voice impossible to ignore. "Well, aren't you going to say something or are you gonna sit there till you grow roots?"

"I-I do-don't know what-to-say," Frisk trips over his tongue in haste.

"Really? That's it? Do you have any idea how much work it took for me to get them all? And you just run down the tunnel and crash into me like that!"

"It was an accident," Frisk pleads.

"Well, your little 'accident' cost me today's entire haul! What are you even doing down here?"

"I was just trying to find a way out of here. When I saw the lights, I thought I found the exit and it turned out to be you instead. I didn't mean to ruin your stuff. If I could go back and change it, I would. But I can't." Tense moments pass until the monster sighs.

"…Fine. Here, let me get ya up." A hairy hand grasps Frisk's arm and makes his skin crawl. The scant images of her monstrous appearance flashing in his mind do not help. Yet Frisk finds the warmth coming from the monster's hair preferable to the cold hard stone ground.

"The name's Maribel."

"My name is Frisk, sadly." With reluctance, Frisk takes her hand and they pull each other to their feet.

"I'll admit you got some guts for coming down here Frisk. Guess that makes you good company. Sorry for biting at ya like that. I didn't think anyone else would be down here. No one comes down here anymore, besides dad and me of course! Man, do we have some stories going down these caves!" Maribel says with pride in her voice.

_Wait— she thinks I'm a monster? That's perfect!_ Frisk thought as Maribel keeps talking.

"There was this one time we were climbing the side of a cave. It was the biggest cave you can imagine. Just one look down and you'd swear that it was the bottom of the world! But I wasn't scared. Then the rope broke and I was falling to the ground like a rock. But Dad! He flew down and caught me before the ground could. He thought it was dangerous, but it was the coolest thing ever! I wanted to do it again! He said maybe when I was older, but I still climb it every time I come here."

"Wait a second, you're a kid?" Frisk asks, not expecting to find a child in this cavern.

"I'm not a kid! I'm a big girl and I can handle this! That's why dad sent me here alone to get the crystals. He knows I'm old enough to take care of myself now!" Maribel says with the snap of a mouse trap and stomps on the ground.

_Jeez, you sure sound like a kid to me,_ Frisk thought.

"Well, sounds like you're busy to me. Good luck with that; I'll be going now so I don't get in your way." Frisk steps away, eager to get away from Maribel. If anything else, her presence is proof there is an exit. But her claw digging into his sweater's neckline tells him she has other plans.

"Hold your horses. You ain't getting away that easily. You broke the crystals I already got."

"I said that it was an accident."

"I know, but it doesn't change what happened. I need those crystals. If I go back empty handed, this whole day will be a waste!" She shouts like he is ten feet away from her.

"So what do you want from me?" Frisk asks, hoping to appease her. She remains silent for a few moments of pondering, leaving Frisk in suspense at what she will demand from him.

"Let's make a deal. There are some special crystals I can't get on my own, and that's saying a lot. You help me get them and make up for the ones you broke. In return, I'll take you straight to the exit. Sound fair? Unless being lost is your kind of fun."

_Uhh..._ Frisk thought _, Do I really want to get involved with this? Pretty sure she's harmless, but the last thing I need now is a wild goose chase. Then again you aren't doing any favors in that department Mom. But she's probably my best chance at getting out of here as soon as possible. Plus, she doesn't know I'm human. Best keep it that way; I don't want to fight her._ _Once she shows me the exit, we'll have to go our separate ways._

"Alright, I'll help you." Frisk shakes her hand to seal the deal. Meanwhile she gives his other arm a gentle punch.

"Good to hear. Now let's get going!" She says as she tries to run off carrying Frisk in hand.

"Wait, aren't you scared of getting lost or anything?"

"Nope. I ain't scared of anything. Besides, you got me on your side, so we're never gonna get lost. So let's get moving!" She releases a screech that deafens Frisk's ears before being pulled along with her for a wild chase. He can keep up with her but does have to push himself to not slow her down.

_Well, now I know what AAA batteries sound like,_ Frisk thought as Maribel drags him to whatever destination she has planned. It does not take long until they arrive at a fork in the tunnel. Maribel approaches one and releases a powerful screech into the air. Frisk shields the inside of his ear as Maribel stands there, listening with her twitching ears.

"Okay, this is a dead end, so we have to go right," Maribel declares with confidence.

"Huh!? How do you know that?" Maribel pulls Frisk's fingers to her long, hairy, and pointed ear.

"With these. All I have to do is scream and my ears tell me everything that I need to know about where I am and where I'm going. Little trick I picked up from Mom. Little screwy outside, but perfect for tight places like these. I can even tell where you are when you're loud enough. If you weren't charging at me like that I could have totally stopped you. So don't you worry, I couldn't get lost even if I tired." She pulls Frisk along for another sprint down the tunnel.

"Wow. That's really cool, like having real ear-buds." They share a quick chuckle.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. What were you even doing here anyway? No one comes here unless they have to." Maribel asks. It makes Frisk wonder; he cannot tell her the full truth, but needs a good reason to be here to start with. Too much silence will make her suspicious, and so he decides to give her an abridged version of the truth.

"It was honestly a big mix-up. I was walking back to Snowdin when I went into the caves to get warm and got lost. I need to get out of here so I can get back to my Mom." Frisk loses his hold on Maribel's hand as she comes to an immediate halt. Frisk is carried by his momentum until he stops a few steps away from her.

"Hey, something wrong?! I can't see you in the dark. Where are you?" Frisk asks as he drifts around in the darkness, retracing his steps and waves his arms around to find Maribel.

"I'm right here. And don't worry, everything's okay. Let's do this so we can get you back to your Mom. I'm sure she's worried sick about you." They rejoin hands, but there is no force or pull this time. She takes him with a tender gentle hold and walks as opposed to charges. The change in her demeanor helps put him at ease.

They navigate the tunnels and caves of this labyrinth. With every twist and turn, all it takes one is one scream from Maribel to know the right way. It will take some getting used to for Frisk, although any anxiety Maribel gives him is overshadowed by the darkness and encroaching walls of the tunnels. No matter how twisted or shrouded the tunnels become, she never loses her confidence or drive in their mutual pursuit.

Ironically, Frisk finds Maribel's energy encouraging and is able to travel faster than a snail's pace to remain at her side. But all it takes is a touch of her hairy monstrous hand for his unease to return, and he hopes this diversion will not last long.

Some Time Later

"Here we are!" Maribel says, Frisk trips ahead a few steps since he did not expect her to stop. Even in the darkness, some details barely manage to stand out. The natural walls of the chasm give way to an artificial corridor that digs deep and long into rock, stopping at a locked door. There are small blue crystals embedded into the wall at regular intervals to provide light, but against this darkness they are night lights.

Frisk tries to get back to his feet, but discovers he is shrinking or the world is falling down. A rocky mechanical sound cranks follows a rising stone pedestal out of the ground. In panic, Frisk crawls to Maribel's side. The ground returns to its former elevation and the pedestal disappears beneath the ground.

"Okay. That's new!" Maribel shields her ears, startled but composed. Frisk reaches her feet as he gasps for breath.

"Oh come on, stop being such a scaredy-cat." The bat girl helps Frisk back to his feet as they rejoin hands. "Here, let's go together this time."

They move hand in hand and side by side as they walk ahead. Like before, the ground sinks and a loud mechanical sound cranks in the air. A stone pedestal rises from the ground and stands in front of them as it glistens with another small blue light.

"Feel better now?" Frisk nods in approval and tension fades away. "Weird, this never happened before with me and dad. What's different now?" Maribel asks as Frisk puts two and two together inside his head.

"I have an idea." Frisk separates from Maribel and walks to the edge of this small square that surrounds them and the standing centerpiece pedestal. As he steps off it, he can feel the ground trying to rise and return to its former state. "It's a pressure plate. You have to put enough weight to keep the puzzle active, otherwise it won't turn on."

"This is great, we haven't even done anything and we're already off to a perfect start! We'll get the crystals in no time." She smacks her fists together, eager and ready to move on. Meanwhile, Frisk walks to the pedestal and notices an inscription with letterings engraved on a small mural that point towards an image of a locked door on the other side.

"Not great." Frisk adds with a sigh, knowing that she will not like his answer.

"And why is that?"

"This puzzle can't be solved alone. There's some kind of message here and we got the puzzle in the corridor, we need this pedestal if we want the answers. One of us stays behind and the other moves ahead to solve it."

"Dibs on solving the puzzle! You can read the answers to me, right?"

"Actually, I think it would be better if you stayed and I moved on ahead." _Besides, there's no way I'll be able to read monster words,_ Frisk thought.

"That's not an option. I need you to do the reading part," Maribel says like someone was holding ice to her back. It makes Frisk uneasy. "I really need you to do this for me," she adds.

"I know this sounds boring, but I can barely see these things so it would really be better if-." A whisper from Maribel cuts Frisk off.

"What was that?" Frisk can hear her speaking, but in a voice so low and soft an elephant would struggle to hear her. "My hearing isn't as good as yours, what are you-"

"I can't read, okay?! Is that what you wanted to hear?! That's why you have to stay here and I have to go out there! Can you hear me now? Is there anything wrong with that!?" She shouts in a fit.

"Oh, is that all? There's nothing wrong with that." He says with a nervous sweat, not expecting to have blown her fuse.

"Do you really mean that?" Maribel asks.

"Yeah, it's fine. I'll just figure this out. No problem."

"You mean it. Thank you so much Frisk!" Maribel charges her way to the corridor beyond the square as Frisk stays behind.

_Yeah, I hope I can figure this out, but how am I supposed to read... wait a second, this isn't a monster language. Anyone can read this._ Frisk reads the inscriptions on the pedestal. The mural is a slab of incoherent letters that stretch to the image of the locked door. Along the sides are small colored circles from bottom to top: Red, Blue, and Yellow.

Finally, there were four sentences...

What is a Monster's Favorite Pastime?

Where does a Monster Live?

Who are the Great Enemy?

Tread carefully or not at all

_Can't believe it. It's a Word Search! Oh my gosh that's so much fun! But what does the last one…_ "Mean!?" Frisk raises his head and spots Maribel running towards the answer at the edge of the corridor.

"Maribel Stop!" She does not and Frisk's heart races as he runs out to reach her before it's too late.

"What's the big deal, I'm already here...!" Her foot sinks through the paper thin rock. Before the rest of her body can join her foot, Frisk returns her to safety.

"Whoa, that was a close one!" Frisk says.

"You can say that again. What the heck was that?!"

"The Puzzle is a word search; there's only one safe way across. Step on the wrong letter, and, well, you already know what happens." Frisk spots trios of small lights scattered at random intervals along the side of the wall. There are three of them: Red, Blue, and Yellow, all in the same order.

"The door is locked. I think we have to push these buttons in the right order. Otherwise we're not going anywhere."

"Jeez this is smarter than I thought it would be. So what we do next?" She returns to her feet while Frisk approaches the edge. Knowing there's a bottomless pit beneath, he does so with caution. He notices letters engraved upon the ground.

"I think I figured it out. All we have to do is solve the riddles to find the right words to solve the word search. Match it with the same letters on the floor and that will take us straight to the door." Frisk spots a P on the floor.

"Here let me try something." Frisk steps onto the P and the ground remains stable.

"How did you do that?"

"A monster's favorite pastime. P for Puzzles." Frisk could not resist the urge to bow.

"Wow, I would have never thought of that. You're really smart, Frisk."

"Not really, puzzles are just really fun and I never had anything else to do at home. But you can't read and I can't be in two places at once, so that leaves us at a dead-end. Guess we have to move on." Frisk says, hoping the exit is their next stop.

"That's quitter talk, that's not gonna fly with me! I may not be able to read, but I know my letters. Dad taught me all about them." Maribel walks to the edge and rubs the ground. She takes care to not add excess weight, as her fingers drag across the letters engraved upon the ground.

"This is an H, that one is B, and here's your precious P!" Maribel leaps onto the P tile with glee and confidence and now it is Frisk's turn to be impressed.

"Alright, just wait right there until I find them." Frisk runs back to the pedestal where he scans through the scrambled letters, thankfully his weight alone is sufficient to satisfy the pressure plate and keep the pedestal. Searching for the P, he finds it in the lower left corner and it does not take long before he finds the U and Zs. It is not a straight line, but there is a clear chain that ties the letters together.

"Okay U should be in front of you. The Zs go in a Zig-Zig to the right, L and E Zig-Zig to the Left, and S should be in front of you after that." She follows Frisk's instructions, grabbing the ground as Maribel finds the letters and slowly makes her way across the corridor with feet of feathers. It does not take long until she arrives at S and makes a triumphant cheerful hop into the air.

"Okay Maribel you have to push the Red Button to start unlocking the door. Did you hear me?"

"Oh no I can't hear a thing, you're gonna have to come here and rescue me now." Maribel shouts as Frisk mentally slaps his own head.

"Alright. Just push the red button and let's move on." Frisk says, and yet seconds go by as not a thing occurs. It takes a near solid half minute, before Frisk wonders if something is wrong with the puzzle. His thoughts are broken by a distant BEEP and sigh of relief.

"Okay I got the red button, what's next?" Maribel speaks with relief as Frisk intensely studies the next riddle.

_Where do monsters live? What do they mean by that? A house, a town, something else? I don't know and I have to know. A monster would know for sure and if I stay quiet for too long, she'll start to wonder. I have to take a guess. What words are around here that'll help?_ Frisk scans through the letters, to his regret and relief finds not one but two possible solutions: SNOWDIN & UNDERGROUND.

One is the true path and the other is a one-way ticket to the bottom of the world. And it is not his life on the line. Frisk scans both options with a paralyzing intensity and flips a coin inside his mind, but cannot bring himself to look upon the results. "Stuck on a brain fart Frisk?! What's the next word?"

Frisk makes his choice. "The answer is Snowdin. There should be an S going across to the right where you're standing right now."

"Okay I'll just- Oh my gosh!" She shouts accompanied by the sounds of crumbling rock, nearly throwing Frisk back from shock. "That wasn't it at all Frisk! Holy cow that was way too close!"

_Alright. Let's try this one instead._ Frisk thought as a giant invisible heat lamp shines upon him, knowing there are false positives. Without thought and with one option remaining, he gives his second answer with heavy breath.

"There is a U to lower right where you are and the answer is underground."

"Are you sure about that, Frisk?"

"The riddle is 'where do monsters live' it has to be the answer." He says with as little confidence as he can muster.

"Okay, I trust you." A long period of silence follows, far longer than it would take to solve any kind of puzzle.

"Maribel? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine," Maribel speaks in a disgruntled voice.

"What's wrong?" Frisk asks, wanting and not wanting to know what happened.

"Is this some kind of game Frisk? C'mon, we can't be playing games right now. Especially with me on this side of the Puzzle!"

"Well like I said, I'm not that smart. What happened?" Frisk asks, eager to learn without exposing his human identity.

"Seriously? Everyone knows monsters live at New Home now. Sure, we're stuck underground, but that's not where a monster lives. Is your head screwed on right?"

_Darn it! Have to think of something fast before she starts to think too hard._ Frisk thought as he slaps himself after finding NEW HOME in a literal straight line to the right side of the corridor spelled backwards as EMOH WEN.

"I never lived in New Home, so I never really thought of it as a place to live in. My mistake." A few moments of suspenseful silence pass until she speaks to him.

"Fine. Since you gave me the riddle, I figured it out on my own. So I'll let this slide, but no more screw ups! You got me?"

"No more screw ups. Are you there now?" Frisk rubs his forehead in relief.

"Yeah, I found the N, and my head just hit the Wall. The crowd goes wild!"

"Okay, hit the blue button; there's only one button and riddle left. We won't need the pedestal anymore, so I'll join you on the other side." Frisk waits as another prolonged period of silence passes between them. It's a difficult experience for Frisk as the distance between them gets larger with every step she takes. Aside from a distant dark figure, he can hardly see her now.

"What was the color again? I didn't hear ya right." The response raises an eyebrow from Frisk.

"It's Blue. I'm looking at it right now." Frisk says with clarity and confidence.

"Are you sure about that? Your track record is a little shaky right now."

"Yes, I'm sure. Is there a problem or something?"

"There's no problem with me! Everything is fine and I know exactly what I'm doing! Here, I'll prove it if you don't believe in me!" If her first response left Frisk confused, this one leaves him a penniless naked man a thousand miles away from home. Frisk does not have to wait long until he gets his response. The air screams with the sounds of crumbling earth and Maribel's desperate cries.

"Okay, you can help me this time for real!" Maribel shouts as Frisk leaves the pressure plate and runs into the corridor. He hesitates at the edge, vaguely remembering the position of the first word and knowing one wrong step will have him fall and fail.

"C'mon Frisk! I can't hold much longer!" Frisk clenches his fist with a tight face. He throws caution to the wind and charges across the corridor, leaving holes in the ground as he charges towards Maribel's voice. Not easy as the ground tries to swallow him whole with every step he takes. Frisk leaps and skips his way to reach Maribel, destroying the path behind him as he goes.

"Don't worry, I'm almost there. Just hold on!" Frisk spots a single empty solid slot stuck to the side of the wall. _How did this happen? Did I give her the wrong instructions again!?_

A hairy clawed hand holds for its dear life against a pitfall trap. With little time and even smaller space left Frisk throws himself to the slot. He lands on EN tiles and his finger tips reach the edge of the pitfall trap to grasp cold stone.

_I'm too late! No, I can't be too late! No, she can't be-!_

"Frisk, I can't fly for much longer, get me up back up there!" With his mind free from concern, his ears register the flapping of wings. He reaches into the pitfall trap to find Maribel hovering beneath the floor in panic. With both hands he grabs onto her arms and pulls her back with all of his might, not easy as Maribel and gravity pull back from the other side. Like the abyss wanted to drag them into eternal darkness.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Strength courses through Frisk's arms as he lifts Maribel through the pitfall's opening, fighting against her weight and the pull of the ground to bring Maribel to safety on the surface. When that is done, the slot closes and gives them the solid footing they needed to stand side by side. Relief showers over Frisk as they both gasp for breath.

"Holy cow! That was even worse than the last one! These things gotta be rigged or something! Thanks for coming to get me like that!"

"No-problem... Just-glad... you're-okay... I just want to know one thing," Frisk gasps.

"What is it!?" Maribel asks, her voice fraught with anxiety and nerves.

"What am I holding?" Frisk's hands grab what he assumes to be a leather purse bag. It is smooth and leathery to the touch, warm and fine in feeling, but rubbery in its consistency.

"Oh, those are my wings. That's really all you wanted to know?"

"You have wings!?"

"Of course I have wings. I'm a bat. Why wouldn't I have wings?" Frisk is hit by small gusts of cold air as she flaps them.

"So you can fly?"

"Yeah! I mean kind of, not really. My wings aren't big enough for that kind of stuff yet. It wears me out fast whenever I do it. I'm just-."

"Too S-kid-ttish." Frisk could not help but smirk.

"Frisk, don't make me do something I'll regret." Her voice rises along with her temper.

"Just trying to lighten up the mood. What even happened here?" Frisk examines the trio of buttons in vain. They are off and he can no longer make out the colors, but one of them was pushed by Maribel.

"The puzzle must be rigged or something. I pushed the blue button but this happened instead. Maybe the info was wrong."

"It can't be. The pattern was Red, Blue and Yellow. But buttons are off and I can't… Oh no!" Frisk throws his gaze down the corridor. The pedestal is gone, and thanks to his rescue effort, so is most of the floor. "We can't go back! Without the last riddle and word search we can't reach the door! One wrong move and it's all over!" Frisk shouts and grabs his head with a tight grip.

"Calm down Frisk, we made it this far. We're not gonna give up now. Just think, what was the last riddle? That'll give us the word we need to reach the door. Come on, I know you're smart enough to do this." Her words bring him some reassurance; he contemplates on the riddle and searches for the answer.

"Okay. I found it," he says with a lowly voice but with no doubts in his mind.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, there's no way I'm wrong. Here, follow my steps and I'll take us there."

"Okay I trust you Frisk." Frisk arrives at the first letter, S, and to his relief, the ground is solid and hard. He turns his attention back to Maribel, where she pushes another button against the wall before joining him. He gives the action little thought as Maribel returns and he directs them across the final word: SNAMUH

They take a final step and arrive in front of the door, and to their shared relief they are greeted by a solid stone platform.

"See, Frisk? I told you that you could do it. What was the last riddle anyway?" Frisk remains in painful silence. "Frisk, are you okay?" She grabs his shoulder and it breaks him out of his spell.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I just don't like this puzzle very much." He says with a strained voice. "Let's finish this, but I don't know how we're going to unlock the door now without knowing what button to push. Just a guessing game now." The colors on the buttons lie black. He raises his hand towards one only to be smacked away by Maribel.

"No, don't do it."

"Why?" Frisk asks with surprise.

"I think if we hit the wrong button, we can kiss this ground under our feet goodbye. We only get one shot to hit the yellow button."

"But the colors are all gone. I got no idea which is which and I can't go back to turn on the pedestal again! How are we gonna figure it out?"

"Simple. We cheat." Frisk could almost see the smirk on her face.

Maribel turns around to face the entrance to the corridor. She lets loose a loud and powerful screech that fills the entire corridor to every single square inch. Frisk covers his ears to protect himself and wonders what she is doing. When she stops, she becomes still and pays attention to the echo of her screams as they return to her ears. "Okay. I know which the yellow button is." Maribel faces the door and reaches for the buttons only for Frisk to restrain her arm.

"Are you sure, Maribel? We only get one chance!"

"I know that, but my ears can't lie to me. You have to let me do this. So do you trust me, Frisk, or do you want to do it for me like- oh, never mind. Just go ahead and push the-." Frisk lets loose of Maribel's arm.

"You're right, nerves got the better of me. Go ahead and do it." Frisk says, fighting back against the piece of him that wanted to take control of the situation. Maribel turns towards him and Frisk finds surprise spread across her face.

"You really mean that? You'll let me do it myself?"

"You trusted me. It's only fair I trust you, too."

"Thank you." Maribel says with a quiet but sweet voice, and she pushes the button. This triggers a loud mechanical sound and the stone door lowers itself beneath the ground to expose the way ahead. The sight brings an enormous sigh of relief to Frisk.

"Okay, I was still a little nervous, but hey we finally did- Ow!" Frisk says as Maribel punches him in the side of his arm.

"You're right we did do it! See, Frisk, told you didn't have to worry. When we get out of here, we gotta toughen you up. I'll give you a few pointers myself." Maribel says with a laugh. Despite rubbing his arm and tense from his nerves, hearing her laugh raises his spirits and he shares her laugh. Yet as they walk away, Frisk cannot shake off a lingering doubt that plaques his mind.

_Our Greatest Enemy._ The riddle and answer repeat inside his mind ad nauseam.

Compared to the puzzle, the path ahead of them is trivial. They do not need Maribel's scream to navigate their journey. Not that it stops her from shouting, desperate to escape boredom and to learn what else the caves have in store for them. In contrast, Frisk could not be any happier to have this break from the chase of the Underground. This continues until the darkness is replaced by a light blue aura. Not enough to banish the darkness, but enough for Frisk to marvel at the sight above them.

"Whoa!" They glisten like stars in a night sky. High above them, from what he presumes to be the ceiling, hang countless blue lights. They sparkle and shine with a powerful radiance, although diminished by distance, it cannot take away from the grandeur of the scene. For a few seconds, Frisk is not underground, but back on the surface and stargazing at a night sky unlike any from his home. The missing moon isn't enough to break his trance, until an arm yanks him back.

"Hey! Watch your step, Frisk!"

"What are you talking about—Ohh!" Frisk spots the massive hole in the ground that breaks the chasm into two halves that he was going to walk into. "Yikes! Talk about a Black hole, almost sucked me into it! Thanks for saving me."

"Glad to do it, but what happened? You doze off or something?"

"The ceiling, I don't even know where to start. Like something out of a dream, and to think it takes thousands of years to make something like this with no hands! Just feel lucky that I got to see it." Frisk says with a bewitched face.

"Yeah, I can see what you mean. It looks so pretty." She says with half-hearted disinterest, but Frisk gives her words no mind. They stand and gaze upon the ceiling and now that he knows about the hole, he would not have minded staying for hours. Content to fall under their spell and to admire their beauty.

"AAAHHH!" Maribel screams, almost throwing Frisk into the chasm from shock. "Okay, that's enough. We got no time for waiting Frisk, we gots to be moving on." She walks away from the edge of the chasm to Frisk's surprise.

"What? You want to leave now?! How can you say that when we get to have something like this all to ourselves? Those crystals aren't going anywhere. We can afford a few minutes," Frisk pleads, hoping to convince her to stay awhile longer and bask in the sight of the ceiling.

"No offense, Frisk, but when you got one ceiling over your head your whole life, you kind of get bored with them. Don't know why you find this thing super cool." Her words bring a frown to Frisk's face.

_Oh, that's right! They all live underground, this is probably nothing to her and- Oh no!_ Frisk thought in frenzy, as all monsters should be unimpressed with ceilings.

"Well… I've never seen one like this one before. Anyway, what did your ears tell you?" Frisk asks, wanting to change the conversation as fast as possible. She points to the other side of the chasm.

"That's where we have to go, but there's no way around. Hoping there'd be a bridge or something, but nope! All we get is a giant, dumb hole." Maribel plops herself down on the ground. Frisk opens his mouth to speak, but stops when he notices her downbeat demeanor. With all the energy and spirit she's given him so far, seeing her downbeaten like this seems wrong.

"Hey, look on the bright side, it could be a hole filled with water."

"And how is that worse?"

"Hey, you know I mean well."

A moment of silence passes until Maribel chuckles. "Appreciate it, but jokes aren't going to get us across this hole."

"Wait a second, can't you fly us across?"

"Oh sure I can, and maybe while I'm at it I'll fly us to the surface and back too. Trust me Frisk, if I could, I would have done it by now."

"Why can't you?"

"My wings are weak. I can hold my own weight, but there's no way I can carry both of us across. Maybe a little creek, but not something this huge. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give up. But I ain't gonna get us killed either. Wish dad was here, he could do it." Her words leave Frisk down, but they also gave him an idea.

"What if we used these?" Frisk digs into his pocket and takes out a handful of monster candy Toriel slipped into his pockets. He hands them to Maribel, and she grasps them with great attention.

"Whoa! Real monster candy! These might be just what we needed! Where did you get these? They're super-duper rare."

"Someone at-! Near the Ruins gave them to me." Frisk figured half the truth is better than a complete lie.

"Wow! You gotta take me there later. Handful of these and everyone in Snowdin will be after us."

"Oh, you have no idea." Frisk says and Maribel devours one of the candy pieces.

"These are so good, I love them so much."

"Well, I'm glad that one of us does." Frisk says as his stomach gives him a bitter reminder of the last time he ate Monster Candy.

With their plan settled, they find a vantage point overlooking the chasm. The healing property of the candy grants them an advantage, but they want as much distance between themselves and the floor as possible. Not only for the obvious reason, but because her wings need height to safely soar across. Luckily, they find what they need, and thanks to light from the crystals above, he can make out details, to his regret.

The chasm's floor is not too deep, but it does not need to be to inflict injury or worse on them. The ground on the opposing side is higher than their side. It raises the stakes for their transit, almost as sharp as the stalagmites covering the chasm floor. In his mind, Frisk finds himself at the top of a skyscraper, the entire horizon in front of him as far as his eyes can reach. Meanwhile, the other even taller skyscraper they have to land on is a tiny speck in the distance.

The sight is almost enough for Frisk to toss the candy away. "You know, on second thought, maybe this isn't a good idea anymore. Let's go back, I'm sure we can find-."

"No, I ain't going to hear any of that quitter talk. We made it this far and we're not gonna stop now, Frisk. Besides, I got this." She says with a confidence Frisk could only have in his dreams.

"Are you sure? I mean can you see this? One teeny tiny little mistake and those crystals will be the last of our worries." Maribel replies by letting out another scream, with the increased lighting Frisk sees her twitching ears.

"Doesn't look so bad to me. With your monster candy, I can handle this. Now this might hurt a bit." Maribel says as she flaps and stretches her wings to climb onto his back.

Before he can give the choice more thought, he can feel her claws grasping around his waistline and she stands over him with her wings spread apart. Her claws dig into him to get a secure grip, but not deep enough to hurt him. Not that it stops Frisk from holding onto Maribel like the last life preserver on a sinking ship.

"Hey, take it a little easy. Pull on me too hard and we'll both go sinking. You gotta relax or you're gonna throw me off when we fly."

"I'm not ready for this!? We shouldn't be doing-!" Her fingers reach down to close his eyelids and the chasm disappears from his sight and mind.

"Keep your eyes close and your arm ready for when I need candy. I know this will be hard for ya, but don't think too much. No puzzles, no falling, and no giving up. Just think about me." Her efforts do calm him and untangle his nerves. In time, he forgets everything: the Underground, the monsters in pursuit, and even his mother.

Leaving only him and Maribel.

"Okay, I'm ready." Frisk steadies his hand with the monster candy. It hangs loose so he can reach her mouth and stuff a piece of candy into her whenever she needs them.

"Good. Now this is my first time flying this high, wish me luck!"

_Wait, WHAT!?_ Frisk thought, but he does not dare open his eyes as his feet no longer have a ground to stand on.

With the flapping of her wings, Frisk knows he is flying midair through an underground cave towards their final destination. With Maribel's body as his only rock, all he can feel is a bubble of air surrounding him. Every second is an unending, nerve-racking experience, like a rubber band that could snap at any moment. He desperately wants to squirm and release the tension, but knows any stray movements could detour Maribel's sinking flight pattern.

"Candy please!" Maribel shouts, even behind his shut eyes he can feel her losing momentum and altitude. Frisk reaches for her mouth to shove a monster candy inside, but is unable to find her. Not helping is that she loses her grip on him. With time short, Frisk opens his eyes and gives her the monster candy she needs to receive her second wind. Even without eating it, Frisk can feel its potent effect as Maribel brings them back into the air and regains her hold on him.

Despite that piece of good news, there is no going back for Frisk. He can see everything around them in midair. Like Sans' joy buzzer, a tingling static shock flows across his body as he gazes at the floor far below them and the distance they still need to cross to reach safety. While they are a hundred feet from the ground, it becomes several thousand in his mind. The sensation of being suspended leaves him a bubble that can pop at any second.

_Oh my gosh we're going to die! This is a horrible idea! We have to-!_ Frisk slides from Maribel's grip. He does not wait for her command to give her another piece of monster candy.

"Thanks! Jeez, why are you so heavy!?" Despite the precarious situation, the look on Maribel's face steals his breath away. The anguish is as clear as day on her painfully cringed and strained face, as if her skin is stretched over her head and nailed in place. He knows he is her burden and cause of her pain. There's no doubt it's far worse than a handful of monster candies can heal.

The many bright sides of gazing at her is getting to marvel at the glistening shine of the countless blue crystals embedded in the ceiling. Closer to them, they peer into his eyes and encase Maribel in an aura of gorgeous blue light. The sight leaves him blinded in awe and grants him a hope that banishes the darkness and dread. One he wishes to share with her as she plummets again.

"Come on Maribel! I know can do it! You can do it! You can do it!" Frisk cheers her on as he hands her another piece of candy. As he feeds her another piece, his hand collides with her chin and she drops a few feet. The collision sends the pieces of candy falling to the ground, to Frisk's horror. While he can see the floor as opposed to a bottomless pit, it provides no comfort as they are halfway to safety.

"You can do it Maribel! Come on we're almost there! I know you can do it!" Frisk says with a smile.

_We're gonna die! We're gonna die! Oh my gosh we're going to die! I can't believe this is actually happening!_ Frisk thought and like she could read his mind, she speaks.

"More candy, Frisk!" Frisk was hoping she would remain quiet, but he will not have that luxury.

"We don't have anymore!" Frisk shouts.

"What!? You're telling me this now!?"

"I didn't want to worry you!"

"Darn it! Fine. Wings, don't fail me now." She doubles her efforts in a desperate bid to cover the remaining distance and save their lives. The drop in altitude comes with a mixed blessing as they become more level with the opposing side. They continue to drop until it becomes a knife's edge between them and safety. The platform comes closer to Frisk like an approaching but sinking wall.

With seconds to spare between life and death, Frisk takes a leap of faith to grab the edge and to relieve Maribel of her burden. Against all odds, Frisk grasps the edge of the platform, hitting it like the back of a moving truck. He nearly loses his hold, but keeps himself stationed to the side of the cliff with a death grip, until Maribel collides into his back. Wasting no time, Frisk grabs Maribel's arm and craves monster candy for the first time.

Frisk performs the most intense pull up in the world, desperate to pull himself and takes Maribel with him. In panic, Maribel screeches in every direction as she hangs from Frisk. He understands her alarm, but her screams are not doing his concentration any favors. Frisk pours every ounce of strength his little body can muster into keeping them alive. He fears it could not be enough. To come so far and to fall so short, he closes his eyes and dreads what comes next.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

His arm loses all its weariness, in its place is a newfound strength beyond his own. He takes full advantage of this gift and pulls Maribel to the edge of the cliff. Releasing her once she finds her own grip on the side of the cliff. No longer having to carry her, Frisk focuses all of his attention and strength on keeping himself attached. With their safety secure, they collapse into a barrage of deep breathes and relief.

"Oh my gosh Frisk, that was..." _Oh here it comes. Well I guess I deserve this_. Frisk thought, ready for her anger.

"…the most amazingly, cool, and dangerous thing I've ever done!"

"Uhh... Really?" Frisk says, not expecting that reaction.

"Yeah! I mean how many people can say they flew across a giant hole, got tired halfway there, and still made it through across? Just you and me!"

"Oh, well, no problem. Glad to know that-"

"Now don't get me wrong, I ain't interested in having a round 2 anytime soon and you owe me big for the number you've done to my wings. Jeez why are you so heavy anyway?"

"Umm... Mom always said I had a big appetite."

"At least, you got some nice muscles on those arms. You could probably take on Dad in an arm wrestle contest. But then again so can I." She pinches his arms.

"I just got us to the finish line. You did all the real hard work. I mean I can't fly, that's the cool part if you're asking me."

"Yes. Yes, that is all so true. I am the best. Consider yourself lucky that I'm beat now, because you wouldn't stand a chance against me."

"Hey, I did pretty good saving you, didn't I?"

"Excellent point, you're right. We need a tie breaker. First one on their feet is the winner." Her words leave Frisk in the clouds as he ponders their meaning while Maribel lifts herself to the platform. By the time Frisk realizes what she is doing, she's already on her knees and Frisk follows her.

"Yeah I win. I win! I... Oh there goes my wings... and my legs... and there goes everything else." Maribel says as her body gives out and she collapses onto the ground. Frisk reaches the platform and stands over her as she lies on the ground.

"Please, don't make me hear any jokes. One laugh and I'll shatter into a million pieces." Frisk looks at the exhausted and weary bat girl monster lying upon the ground with a mild smirk. He grabs her side and lifts her off the ground to hoist her upon his back. There is some weight to her body, but strangely he does not find her excessively heavy.

"Frisk what do you think you're doing?" Frisk walks across the rocky platform towards an opening in the stone wall. He does not expect it to be easy, but he does not expect her to squirm and make it more difficult.

"Frisk, you don't have to do this. All I need is a breather. You can let me go." She tries to break free of his grip. And Frisk does not doubt that she could, had it not been for her demanding and exhausting flight.

"It's fine Maribel, you carried me and now I'll carry you. It's the least I can do."

"You don't have to do this for me Frisk. I can do it myself. Really, I just need five minutes and I'll be as good as new." Her words do not deter Frisk from his commitment.

"Then I'll carry you for five minutes. No big deal."

"I'm not some little kid Frisk, I can take care of myself. So please-" Her voice is tired and somber.

"I know you don't have to prove anything to me. Trust me, if I had any choice, I'd never be down here in the first place. But you do this stuff for kicks. There's no way I would have made it this far without you. So let me help you out, till you can stand on your feet. After that, you can take the lead again, sound alright to you?" There is silence, and for a while, Frisk wonders if he said something wrong.

"Thank you." Those are her only words, without any energy and force Frisk grown accustomed to. Instead, she is soft and amiable, like when he mentioned his mother. No matter what happens, Maribel always finds a way to surprise him. His thoughts are broken when she elbows him in the back.

"Alright Frisk, if you really insist. I'll take a nice long nap on your comfy back. Just don't forget to wake me up." Maribel says in her normal voice as she relaxes against his back. He appreciates the fact she stopped struggling, but swallows a groan as she gets comfortable on his back.

"Looking forward to it already." Frisk says along with a roll of his eyes, carrying the two of them into the corridor.

Some Time Later

Frisk carries them through the tunnels with Maribel on his back. As he believed, she did require more than five minutes to recover and he let her have them. Whenever a choice had to be made, all he needed to do is turn around and ask her for a scream. To his surprise, her screams no longer bother him. They're loud for sure, but no longer instill any fear within him. Instead, they give him peace of mind, knowing where to go next without any doubt.

Fortunately, there are no more puzzles or obstacles to overcome, just a lengthy trek through the darkness. Until at long last, Frisk finds the lights at the end of the tunnel.

"Hey Maribel, what do these special crystals look like?"

"Oh, they glow rainbow colors. Most crystals glow blue, but these are extra special and hard to find." She murmurs, having grown comfortable on Frisk's back.

"I think we found them," Frisk says as a bright, beautiful collage of colors lies in the distance ahead of him.

True to her description, wide assortments of colors from across the spectrum shine in a collective haze. The image is never the same. Colors fade and reappear at random in a continuous brilliant barrage of splendor that leaves Frisk awe-stunned. Considering the scenery until this point consisted of black, black, and more black, the lights stick out like a sore thumb on a hand with four missing fingers.

_Oh, no, I didn't expect them to be that bright! If I go down there, she'll know for sure that I'm human. They look really pretty, but I can't go down there._ Frisk thought and considers his options.

"Really, you have!" Maribel hops off his back and steps to his side. Frisk plugs his ears as she releases another scream and her ears twitch after getting her confirmation. She punches Frisk's arm and rubs her claws together with eager anticipation.

"We finally made it. About time, too!" Maribel charges away while Frisk follows her at a steady pace.

The tunnel broadens and widens to a large spherical empty space, it ends at a small opening on the other side where the crystals shine inside a separate room. Frisk sighs as the large room's openness and the crystals' lights give him reprieve from the dark claustrophobic tunnels and alleviate his pain. Maribel screams to familiarize herself within this new area.

"C'mon Frisk, don't be a slowpoke we're finally here!" She waves her wing to invite him to join her.

"No thanks, I'm fine right here. I can wait until you're done." Frisk says behind a chuckle to conceal his nerves.

"Okay, more for me. But you're missing out Frisk. You won't find these crystals anywhere else in the whole Underground." Maribel declares and sprints towards the opening, her wings swaying from side to side.

_Fine by me, hopefully we can get a move on and get out of place now. I just hope that... that-! Why is that rock alive!_ Frisk thought as a large object silently lifts itself into the air. As it does so more of their features come into view. The creature resembles a sleek flying shark, but with wide circular wings instead of fins, a long tail, and an enormous sparkling white grin and two white eyes.

_How is she not seeing this thing!? I have to save her, but if I get too close to the light, she'll know my secret! What am I supposed to-!_ Frisk is shocked when he notices a ball of magical material forming within a small circular fin at the end of the monster's tail. Frisk stares at Maribel who has not stopped her pursuit to the crystal room.

Without a second to spare, Frisk runs after Maribel as fast as he can. He reaches her in seconds and throws himself at her as the monster fires the ball material at her location.

"Maribel! Get out of the way!" Frisk pushes both of them down to the ground as they evade the magical attack with inches to spare.

"What the heck was that for Frisk?!"

"How do you not know why I- Incoming!" Frisk shouts as the monster fires another barrage of attacks at them. Frisk leads them through a rain storm of magical material raining upon them. It's not easy as the monster does not stop in their attacks and dragging Maribel limits his mobility and speed.

"What's going on Frisk?! Who's attacking us?"

"I got no idea, what is this guy even doing here?"

"You dare to ask these presumptuous questions, children? You are the ones who disturbed my slumber with your sacrilegious screams, and now you intend to invade my home. I will not allow these transgressions to pass. Now leave this place!" He fires off another barrage at Frisk and Maribel. They evade the blasts by hiding behind a pile of boulders.

"Jeez, does this guy have a way with words. Can you hear where he's coming from here? I'd rather keep my head here."

"Not unless he's talking. The way he moves around is way too quiet for my ears to pickup. Let me try this." Maribel screams at the wall behind them, allowing the sound waves to bounce off of them and spread throughout the area. She pokes her ears over the top of the rocks and listens to hear what comes next.

"Move now!" She shouts.

"Are you two speaking about me, children? I sincerely hope so," he says, hovering over their heads. After getting over their shock, they charge off in opposite directions.

"Ahh, I can see that you seek to divide and conquer, children. Do whatever you please, for it will do you no good in my home until you leave." He takes turns firing blasts at both of them. These blasts break into pieces before hitting their mark, turning one blast into five without a moment's notice. Frisk does what he can to evade the monster's attacks from flips, cartwheels, and turns. This continues until his actions become a bizarre evasive dance, moving from side to side to miss the monster's attacks.

"You have an impressive lightness to your feet, child. You can compete with me if you desire, but you cannot defeat me. For I am Glyde the Magnificent." Frisk feels unease at having Glyde's approval. He stops when Glyde halt his attacks to perform an elaborate dance in midair. Glyde uses his wings and tail to twist and turn like a spinning top while shooting material at the ceiling, where they explode into a cascade of raining confetti.

_Is this guy for real!? He gives Papyrus a run for his money_ , Frisk thought as Glyde performs. His attention is broken when Maribel screams, turning his attention to her. Unfortunately, Glyde does the same.

"You!" He bellows, "You were the one who woke me, and now you possess the audacity to interrupt my performance! Well, if you wish to compete, I am all too happy to accommodate you, loud child." The monster fires off blasts of material at Maribel that split into smaller pieces. Frisk is horrified as Maribel finds far less success in evading the monster's attacks. He stops his attack once Maribel falls to the ground.

"Maribel!" Frisk takes advantage of Glyde's pause to run over to Maribel and inspect her.

"Maribel, are you okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But man do those things pack a punch. What are we gonna do about this guy! I got no clue!" She rubs her aching torso and Frisk stands to face the monster as Glyde hovers over them with his tail pointed at them.

"So will you leave my home, children? Or do you require another demonstration of one of my many delectable talents?"

"Stop calling me a kid, and we can't leave! Not when we've come this far and not to a big jerk like you!"

"Not now, Maribel!" Frisk says as his mind races to find any solution to deal with Glyde. Even if he is willing to fight, Glyde's hovering ability makes it borderline impossible. For reasons he doesn't know, Maribel cannot respond to his attacks. Time runs short as Glyde waits for Frisk's response. One he hopes will satisfy the monster as things come together in his mind.

_Performances… Compete… Talent_. _Okay, this is a huge risk, but I'm out of ideas. I really hope this works._

"I am so sorry; Mr. Glyde, my partner and I didn't realize it was you until you announced yourself. We were actually searching for you this entire time."

"You were?!" Glyde says, his words bursting with excitement.

"We are?" Maribel asks in confusion.

"Just play along and we might get out of this." Frisk whispers to her. "Ah, yes, Mr. Glyde, you see, my partner and I here are talent scouts looking for stars like you to perform in our show. It's called- called…"

"Mettaton's Variety Hour! It's the biggest show in the whole Underground. You'd be perfect guest star for it," Maribel adds in.

"Mettaton… I know this name… and talent scouts! Oh my goodness, why did you not say so to begin with? I am honored that you would consider me for this magnificnet show."

"Yes, we sure were! We didn't mean to wake you like this and we are sorry-"

"I shall hear nothing of the sort. I can only hope that I have not damaged my chances for considerations on your show."

"An apology would still be nice," Maribel says before being shut down with a sharp stare from Frisk as he mouths "not now," to her.

"An honest mistake, Mr. Glyde. Now, if you do not mind, please show us your best performance and we will report back to Mettaton," Frisk says with his best front.

"I am honored."

Glyde soars into the air and spreads his fins like he is a majestic eagle taking off to pierce the sky. While not as impressive, the fact such a massive and bloated creature could move so eloquently and swiftly cannot be scoff at either. Glyde flies straight towards the ceiling, spinning like a drill that could break into the solid rock. Yet with mere feet remaining, Glyde manages to bank and evade the ceiling, surfing across the rocky ceiling.

Frisk wishes he could have strapped himself to Glyde's back to get a firsthand experience; instead he settles for applause.

Glyde returns to the ground, hovering by a few feet as he flies and fires several balls of debris towards them. Frisk tries to run out of the way but Maribel grabs to hold him still. Taking hold of her confidence and torso, Frisk shuts his eyes. He misses the balls exploding on the ground in showers of harmless confetti and sparks, but sees Glyde soaring above them like a whale leaping out of a pool at a sea show.

Frisk wants to reach and touch his belly, but stops himself and brings his hands together for another round of thunderous applause. Maribel joins him with her claws, albeit with far less enthusiasm. Glyde's grin could not have been any bigger from their applause, yet he dares to go bigger. Glyde takes a position far and away from them on the opposite side of the room. Halting all momentum to float motionless in midair, leaving Frisk in anticipation to see what he would do next.

Glyde fires many balls of debris at different angles and positions. They soar far and away until they become a ring of magic. Despite their speed and head start, Glyde does not allow that to stop him from charging towards the ring. Within seconds he reaches and flies through the ring with perfect aim and with perfect accuracy the balls explode into a rainstorm of colors that bath Glyde in a sparkling cloud.

With the maneuver complete, Frisk and Maribel applaud to Glyde's endless ego and satisfaction as his performance comes to an end.

"10/10! We are beyond impressed!" Frisk exclaims.

"Yeah, I've never seen a better show in my life." Maribel speaks.

"Thank you for your praise and applause. Truly, there are none greater than I; be certain to tell Mettaton that once you return to him. He will never find a more perfect guest star than Glyde. Now, if you require me, I must return to my rest." Glyde flies away and Frisk and Maribel both breathe sigh of relief.

"When will I learn about the outcome of your considerations?" His words throw both children for a turn as they hope he did not hear their sighs.

"Oh, very soon, Mr. Glyde. You will hear from us very soon," Frisk says to abide him before any suspicion can enter his mind.

"I eagerly await my victory already." Glyde returns to his pile of rocks and closes his eyes to sleep. They wait until they are secure that Glyde is asleep.

"Yes we did-!" Frisk shushes Maribel. "Oh sorry. We did it. Hooray…" She whispers.

"Yeah we did. Now get the crystals and get out of here." Frisk says.

They approach the opening to the cave which contains the crystals. Frisk keeps his distance but wants to stay close to Maribel in case Glyde wakes up for an encore. He also finds the allure of the multi-color light difficult to resist after enduring a marathon of darkness. He stops at the edge where the light from the crystals blends with the darkness of the cave.

"Something wrong Frisk?"

"Nope. Just want to take a second to admire the sight. Can't believe we finally made it."

"Well let's cross the finish line already!" Maribel punches his arm once again and by now the punches no longer hurt him and Frisk decides to return the favor in her way.

"You know what, sure why not." Frisk swings the palm of his hand towards Maribel's turning face at a mild speed. His hand slaps her face.

"Ow! What was that for?! Frisk, you jerk!" Frisk is shocked by what he has done and confused by how it could happen at all. The light from the crystals are bright enough to alleviate their vision. His hand did not move at an especially high speed, and strangest of all, she was staring directly at him.

"I was trying to give you a high five. How did you not see me coming? I'm right here! I mean, what, are you blind or something?" Maribel becomes deathly silent and limp on the ground as she does not react. She stares at the ground, unable or unwilling to bring herself to look at him.

"Oh…Oh my gosh, I… I didn't know that you were…" Frisk is afraid to say the word, not knowing what kind of reaction it will trigger within Maribel.

"Go ahead and say it. No point in hiding it anymore." Maribel stands and lifts her face towards Frisk. He can see her eyes in clear detail thanks to the crystals' light. While they are black, it is impossible to ignore the grey haze that covers them like glasses in thick fog.

"Yeah, I'm blind. Can we get a move on now?" Her words and his realization leave him stunned, deciding to table the conversation for a less awkward moment.

"Sure, let's just go on." They enter the cave, now that Frisk has no issues with entering a room filled with light. The crystals stick out of the ground in clusters and towers of shards that point in every direction. They embed themselves within the walls and floor creating a stunning mural and collage of shining rainbow crystals. Frisk almost wanted to call it blinding, but it seems the worst word to use right now.

"Dad is gonna love these so much! I know we got the CORE now, but I'll take these crystals any day of the week." Maribel approaches one of the crystals and yanks off pieces to carry in her arms. Frisk follows her actions, not knowing her intentions, but wanting to appease her. To his surprise, the crystals are not difficult to remove. All it takes is a few powerful pulls to plunder a piece.

They continue their harvest until their arms are full and Maribel departs without uttering another word to Frisk. Frisk finds her silence and stillness so alien and strange, a complete opposite to her usual demeanor. While he has no use for the crystals himself, he hopes they will restore Maribel to her former self.

On his way out, Frisk notices a small crystal embedded at the top of a stalagmite. It also shines with a rainbow color, but the red manages to overpower the other colors to give it a distinctive glow of its own. Frisk closes his mouth to keep a trail of drool from leaking from his lips. He places his crystals on the ground and with great care removes the crystal and puts it inside his back pocket, padding it for good luck.

"Safe and sound." Frisk picks up Maribel's crystals and leaves to rejoin Maribel as they depart from the room. They tread carefully to avoid an encore with Glyde and leave the glowing room for darker pastures. Frisk can only hope they do not stay in this newfound darkness forever.

Some Time Later

The travel through the tunnels is uneventful aside from Maribel's screams. The silence grows stale between them and leaves Frisk uneasy. He wants to address whatever issue exists between them but has absolutely no idea of how to proceed, luckily he doesn't.

"Betcha wanna know why I didn't tell you that I was blind." Maribel breaks the strange silence between them. Frisk finds brief relief, since it's impossible to not notice the nervousness of her words. The crystals shake in her arms and she rubs her claws close to her chest.

"Yeah, I gotta say, I did not see that coming." Frisk says, not wanting to force the issue but unable to deny his curiosity. The fact she is blind changed everything he knows about Maribel, it's hard for him to ignore situations where that information could have been invaluable. At the same time, he cannot muster any anger or frustration towards her, lest he become a hypocrite. "You know, you don't have to tell me if you-"

"Do you want to help me now?" The question takes Frisk off-guard, in addition to her coming to a complete stop. "You want to carry my crystals for me? Maybe you want to take me to the exit? Heck, you can take my wing and lead the way." Her questions leave Frisk confused, knowing the answer he wants to give but not knowing the right thing to say.

"I don't know what to say."

"Because I'm some helpless little blind kid? Do you feel sorry for me? Is that why you want to help me?" She says in a broken but firm voice, like a shattered fine vase glued back together with school paste.

_What?! Where is this coming from? Oh, no, I better say something before this get worse._ Frisk tries to speak, but Maribel cuts him off.

"Hey, when we get back home, there's lots of things you can help me with. This little adventure probably did a number on me; you're gonna have to clean me and change my clothes. Oh, and don't forget, you always gotta be ahead of me to open doors; but not too far ahead because I might get lost or hurt on the way to the kitchen." Frisk finds himself in stunned silence, not sure if she is talking to him or someone else.

"After all, that's Maribel! She's a little blind kid, you know. We all gotta pitch in to help and we have to help her with everything. She can't help herself. She can't do anything. She just has to stand around and be blind..." Her voice trails off into the dying distance.

"It's not like she doesn't already know that; just keep reminding her on how useless that makes her. And if she says, 'no, please stop, I can do it alone'; people will leave her and never come back," she says in between sniffs and by now Frisk has heard enough, he eases his arm from his crystals to grab her fumbling claws.

"Maribel, I'm not going to lie. I didn't want to help you in the beginning. Not because you're blind, I did it... Well, to be honest, I wanted to get out of this place. But after everything, I can tell you that you're not helpless or useless. You did more than half of the work it took to get us here and there's no way I could have done any of this without you. You can fly, you can read without seeing, and heck you can see with your ears.

"That's the coolest stuff I've ever heard of! And yeah, you needed me here and there for some parts, but no one can do everything. Not even me. And sure, I don't know what it's like to be blind, but there's more to you then just your eyes. So yeah, I wanna help you, but because I like you and I know you can help yourself too. You'd have to be blind not to see that," Frisk says, hoping his words will do more good than harm.

His mind wanders towards the second as the silence grows longer.

"Wow… that has to be the second nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," Maribel says.

"Well, at least I get the silver medal," Frisk says in a mixture of glee and disappointment. The latter feelings vanish when Maribel gives him a playful punch to his arm and shakes his other hand. Her hair and claws no longer bring him any discomfort or unease, finding a warm pleasant sensation deep within him. Like a gentle flame finding its second wind as it grows stronger and glows brighter between them.

"Sorry, Frisk, no one's gonna top Mom. But seriously, I can't even begin to describe how much I needed to hear something like that. Sorry if I got melodramatic; guess I needed to get something off my chest and couldn't stop myself."

"Yeah, I got that feeling you were talking to someone else. Do I even want to know what's going on?" Maribel lets out a long sigh.

"I'm not sure; I mean, I don't want to be a brat or anything, because then I really will be alone and I don't want that either. I get everyone wants to be nice and care about me. And when I was little, I really couldn't do anything so they had to help me. But I'm not so little anymore and there are things that I can't do that other kids can do. It's like I'm not good enough, and I know they don't mean it that way. But it really bothers me a lot and I don't know what to do. I guess I just really wanted to start doing some things on my own. And the worse thing is Dad is the biggest one of them all."

"Your father," Frisk is unable to hide his disgust when speaking the word.

"Yeah, Dad, but you can call him my second shadow. No matter what I do or where I go, he's always got to help me with everything. And fine, that's his job, that's what Dads and Moms are supposed to do, I get it. But I swear Dad still thinks I'm 5 years old or something, and that was 6 years ago! I don't want to be mean, but he makes me go 'Ahhh' sometimes! Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"I really wish I did know." Frisk says with a heavy heart and voice, almost green with envy at her words. _Yeah Frisk you wouldn't do anything like that. Would ya you big jerk._

"Well, it's nice and bad at the same time; just wish I could keep the good without the bad. That's why I really like ya, Frisk. You get me, you really do. And I want to say sorry for keeping this a secret. I really shouldn't have done that when you needed to know." Her uplifting words bring him shame.

"You don't have to apologize." Frisk stands as tides of guilt smash into him like a beach during high tide.

"No, I do. I was scared that if you knew, you would have been like everyone else, but you're not. I should have given you more credit. So how about it?" She extends her wing towards him as Frisk looks on at her with quivering eyes, unable to speak. When silence threatens to become awkward again, Frisk makes a decision.

"No, you really don't have to apologize. Maribel, I... I haven't been entirely honest with you." Frisk sighs, wishing he could take back his words but knows there's no going back now. "You deserve to know the truth."

"Uhh... What do you mean Frisk? What truth? I'm sure it can't be that bad, and-!"

"I'm not a monster." Frisk can tell his words surprise her, with the mixture of confusion and mounting dread on her face. As difficult as the next few words are, he knows that he must say them.

"I am not a Monster. I am a human being from the Surface. I fell down here by accident and I am trying to escape back to surface. I am not a monster, I'm Human!" Frisk says in the most clear and concise way to avoid any ambiguity. The effect of his words is immediate as she staggers away from him.

"You... You're a Human being!" Frisk is shocked by how Maribel acts. The monster bat girl who displayed no fear the entire time he has known her, cowers away from him like a mouse facing a mountain lion.

"Maribel, let me just explain and... Hey, wait, come back!" Frisk says as Maribel flees away from him.

While the sight of a monster running away from as opposed to fighting him would normally be a welcome one, in this case he cannot help but pursue her. He drops his own crystals to the ground where they shatter, never having any strong attachment to them. With the baggage gone, Frisk charges after Maribel.

"Maribel! Please come back. I just want to talk." While she had a head start, thanks to the crystals in her wings he is easily able to keep track of her position in the darkness of the tunnel. He can also tell that he is faster than her, since she's likely weighted down by her armful of crystals. Even when the lights disappear into the darkness, it does not deter Frisk from his relentless pursuit as he hears the echo of her foot prints.

_Why is she running away from me?! It must be that monster law. She probably thinks she's supposed to do this. Okay, all I have to do is reach her and talk her down so I can—_ Frisk's thoughts disappear along with the ground beneath his feet. He grabs onto the edge of the stone cliff to keep himself suspended with tremendous strain.

"Darn it... I should have seen this coming... Come on, gotta pull myself up..." Even without a second body to carry, the pain and strain on his arms is great. The events of the day have taken their toll, reduced his arm to noodles and with no monster candy to revitalize himself. Frisk pulls with all his strength to return to safety, but every effort adds to the burning burden on his arms. Meanwhile, from the corner of his eyes he sees the light of Maribel's crystals flee further away from him.

"Oh, come on... Give me a break!" Frisk shouts as the rocky ledge he is holding onto shatters into pieces from his intense grip.

"Not that kind of break!" Frisk desperately tries to reassert his hold on the rocky platform's edge. The act almost tears his nails off as they dig into the side of the hole. The burn from the friction forces him away and into the center of the hole where he descends into a free fall towards the bottom of the hole. Frisk screams in midair, unable to do anything to stop his descent and he does not believe there will be any beds of flowers to break his fall this time.

_No, this can't be happening! I can't die! I have so much left to do! Mom! Toriel! Sans! Heck, I'll take Flowey if that's what it takes! Please, someone, help me!_ Frisk thought as he falls deeper into the black abyss of this hole. Yet there is not a soul to be found and no way to avoid this fate. Submerged in silence and fear, Frisk is alone in his thoughts as he nears the end.

_I can't believe this! I'm actually going to die. I'll hit the ground, go splat, and that its forever! I never got a chance and no one is going to remember me. Mom, I just wish that I could say-!_ His thoughts are broken when Maribel's screams reach his ears. The echo from the hole bounces it in every direction and the darkness ensures that he cannot determine her location. Yet he knows that she is here with him somewhere.

Frisk yelps as a swift shadow soars towards him, claws latch onto his arms. The sudden loss of acceleration jerks him, but he takes the force. While he is still falling, his speed is far slower and grows ever slower. The rapid and desperate flapping of wings fills the air and his ears.

"Jeez... Why do you have to be so heavy, Frisk?" Maribel struggles to hold him, there is no way she can bring them back to their former place. But she uses his weight and momentum to bring them to the ground in a controlled descent. She cannot prevent their fall, but she can ensure the fall will not hurt them. Frisk goes as motionless as possible, not wanting to make her struggle worse.

Blinding rainbow lights fall past his eyes and collide on the ground where they shatter. Frisk is shocked as there is one thing those lights could have been. The fear within him is banished, replaced by gratitude and admiration for what she did for him.

_Why can't all monsters be like you and Toriel?_

It takes moments for them to reach the bottom. Thanks to her efforts they hit the ground with the force of a tree fall. It's not pleasant, but preferable to the alternative. Frisk takes the blunt of the force and Maribel collapses from exhaustion as she falls off of Frisk to the ground. Frisk ignores the mild pain in his body and rushes to Maribel's side.

"Maribel, are you alright?!" He visually and physically inspects her for any damage, afraid the fall hurt her more it did him.

"No, ask me tomorrow when I can say yes," She moans as she lies on the ground in visible pain. Frisk is lost on what to do next. He wants to help her but does not want to move her and risk causing her more harm.

"Hey, do you know how to fall down a staircase?"

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me."

"It's simple. You do it step by step till you hit rock bottom." Maribel lets out a chuckle and Frisk releases a sigh of relief.

"Oh Frisk, that one was so bad that it actually made me laugh. What am I going to do with you?"

"I'm sure we'll come up with something. But seriously, what happened back there? Why did you do that?" Frisk helps Maribel up, but she elects to sit for the time being. Due to her silence and stillness, he can tell she does not want to answer the question.

"Will you take half an answer for now? I promise to tell you the other half later."

"Sure, go ahead." Frisk does not even consider arguing after what she did for him.

"I'm sorry for running off like that. It was dumb. Even if you're a human, I had to come back to save you. Because I know that's what Mom would have done." Her words put a smile in his heart and bring tears to his eyes. For the first time since Toriel, he has found a monster he's not afraid of and it feels good.

"You know, I just realized something. I never apologized for breaking your crystals. I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for not telling you that I was a human. You should have known that I-."

"Frisk you breaking my crystals was the best thing that happened to me today. You don't have to say sorry." Maribel takes Frisk's hand into her wing.

"Well, I'm going to anyway. Because I know that's what my Mom would have done too. So, I'm real sorry."

"Wow, your Mom sounds awesome. Even if she's human, I'd love to meet her." Maribel says and she brings an enormous smile to his face.

"Well, that's not going to happen if we stay here. You good to travel?"

"Nope, do you mind helping me out a bit?" Frisk smiles as he helps Maribel to her feet and loops her hairy arm and leathery wing over his shoulder.

"Not at all, you can lead the way and I'll follow."

"Sounds great to me." Maribel screams and Frisk stumbles their way from out of this hole.

15 Minutes Later

It takes time, effort, and many screams, but they reach an exit and the darkness of the caves passes into the slightly less darkness of Snowdin Forest. They are welcomed with open freezing hands as bursts of cold air punch them.

"Wow, never thought I would have missed this place," Frisk says as his hands return to warm his shivering sides.

"What are you going to do now Frisk? I mean, humans… aren't welcome in the Underground."

"There are two monsters I need to find, one of them is kind of helping me out. At least, I think he is. I hope you don't mind if I keep his name a secret."

"What, you think I'm gonna go tattle tale on him? Frisk, I thought you knew me better than that. I think I can keep a secret." Frisk remains silent on the matter, not comfortable with revealing his deal to Sans. "Alright fine, go protect your real friend, Human. I'll just be chopped liver over here."

"Maribel it's not like that, you have to understand that I can't take any- Ow." He is interrupted by a punch from Maribel.

"I'm just messing with ya Frisk. If my dad caught me with a human, he'd probably go ballistic. I really need to fix that one day."

"Oh yeah, your dad told you to get crystals and now you have to go back empty handed. What are you going to-?"

"That was another fib. There's no way Dad would have let me go down here without him being there. I waited for him to take a nap and I ran off in secret on my own. Although after everything that's happened, I guess he kind of has a point."

"So why did you need those crystals?"

"I wanted proof. Proof that I could show him that I'm not some helpless blind girl. That way he and everyone can trust me to look after myself… without leaving me. Guess I kind of went over my head." Her head turns to the ground for a few moments before returning back to Frisk.

"But you know what, Frisk? I don't need those crystals. Because I got to meet you and I don't care that you're a human. I'm glad we got to be friends." They smile at each other and under the better lighting of the Underground, Frisk takes a good look at Maribel.

Yes, it is impossible to deny that she is a fruit bat monster. But her brown hair is smooth and clean, her black eyes pure and inviting despite their fogged lens, and her ears long and fine, with an adorable sleeveless purple and yellow striped sweater vest covering her torso.

_Guess she is a kid after all._ Frisk thought until a light bulb turned on in his head and his hand reaches into his back pocket.

"Well I was wondering what I'm going to do with this thing." Frisk pulls out a small rainbow crystal from his back pocket that managed to survive the whole ordeal. It shines and glistens in between them like a red dwarf star in the midst of this darkness.

"Wow, that's amazing! It only took you an hour to forget I can't see anything. I think that's a new record." Frisk slaps himself.

"It's a crystal piece I took from the caves!"

"Whoa, you had that with you the whole time!" Maribel says and shakes with anticipation and excitement.

"Yup, and I don't really need it. If only there was someone here who did want it?" Frisk hands are emptied as she snatches the crystal without another thought.

"Oh my gosh! Frisk, you're the greatest! Dad's gonna love this so much. I'll take this to him right away." Maribel runs off a bit, leaving Frisk behind until she stops.

"Hey Frisk, if you ever need a favor, feel free to hit me in Snowdin Town."

"I'll consider it."

"Are you sure you'll be alright? Promise me Frisk, I don't wanna lose my new friend." Frisk chuckles at her sing-song words. A piece of him doesn't believe what happened but cannot deny any of it.

"I promise I'll be fine Maribel, go take care of your dad." With that Maribel runs off to go and return to her home without a worry in the world. Something Frisk wishes he could say as he turns away from the caves and towards Snowdin Forest. Knowing there are still monsters, puzzles, and flowers for him to overcome if he's going to reach the Surface in one piece.

But for the first time, he faces the peril with a small but strong smile. "Wow, Miss Toriel, you were right. All I had to do is make friends. I really hope I don't break my promises." Frisk walks away from the caves and enters Snowdin, leaving the dark and silent abyss of the caves behind him.

From the cave's opening emerges a human girl dressed in a red and orange striped sweater. "So you don't like breaking promises."


	12. Chapter 12: The Anonymous Child

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 12

* * *

"I thought getting out of the woods was supposed to be a good thing." Frisk marches across the snowy cliff of Snowdin Forest. Ever since leaving the caves, he found many harsh reminders they weren't as terrible as he initially believed.

From frigid air that keeps his arms working hard to stay warm and the frozen ground that keeps him light on his toes… the one improvement is that the rocky terrain does not agree with trees. Without a roof of greenery to blot out the Underground's already limited lighting, Frisk finds his visibility fair. The horizon remains a mystery, but anything to help him spot monsters before they reach him is an advantage he could not afford to waste.

Frisk scans with a vigilant stare, searching and hoping he will find nothing on the path to Snowdin Town. Under this careful watch, he finds it difficult not to be impressed and pleased by the serene and quiet beauty of Snowdin Forest. The fields of trees and snow come together to knit a blanket of green and white. Yet Frisk remains afraid to check under this winter's bed for monsters lurking in the shadows.

Despite his friendship with Maribel, his fear of Monsterkind remains alive and well. Yet the irony of traveling to Snowdin Town to find safety is not lost on him.

_Am I really doing this? I'm going to a town filled with monsters. Might as well put up a giant billboard that says: 'Here I am! Come look at the Human before he can gets taken away forever!' Maybe they'll sell tickets,_ Frisk thought, but he could not bring himself to think poorly of his new friend. Her mere memory is enough to bring him warmth.

_Maribel said she wanted to help me and I need all the help I can get. She's probably the only one who wants to. What if she gets into trouble for helping me? I don't want that._ Frisk rubs himself to stay warm, bringing his attention to his bones and his mind wanders to another bag of bones.

_And Sans… He seems nice, and anyone who makes puns can't be that bad, but I just can't shake this feeling that he's hiding something from me. Definitely know Papyrus isn't gonna give up. Would Sans pick a human over his brother? And why is all this even happening at all? Why do they want to capture me so bad?_ Frisk continues his reluctant march into the heart of this frozen winter wonderland.

His teeth clatter and bones shake as breezes of cold air hit him like cannonballs in sudden bursts. He knows his journey will not end well if he remains out in the open. "Well, Snowdin it is."

_Asgore and Undyne. They're probably gonna be my biggest problems. Hopefully, I can find a way out without running into either of..._ "Them!" Frisk shuts his mouth before he can make any more noise. He scans side to side in a frantic search for any kind of coverage to hide behind, but there is nothing. With nowhere to hide or and nowhere to run, a confrontation is unavoidable.

Frisk takes a desperate stand as the mysterious figure approaches his position.

_Okay calm down. It's just another monster. You've beaten every monster till this point. You can deal with this one too. Please just don't be too... Wait a second, is that who I think it is?_ Against the endless white and grey backdrop, the emergence of red and orange stands out as the stranger comes closer.

"I know you." A large and impressive grin comes across Frisk's face and a flare of excitement explodes inside of him. Had it not been for his desire to stay warm, he would be unable to stop himself from bouncing his way to the stranger with open arms. Details are difficult to make out, but one thing is clear, this person is not a monster.

"Hey! Over here!" Frisk waves his hands in the air, swiftly moving towards the stranger. As the distance closes, distinct features become visible: her messy brown hair tied into a ponytail by a blue hair ribbon, the red and orange striped sweater, and her bright hazel eyes… It leaves no question in his mind to who she is and that she could be trusted.

_I knew I wasn't alone! I knew there was someone else, too! I'm not crazy!_ Frisk thought until he recalls their first encounter in the Ruins and her fits of hysterical laughing cries which left him speechless.

_Okay, she might be a little crazy, but I don't care! Oh, boy, this is going to be the best thing ever!_ Frisk reaches the human girl who stops a few feet away, greeting him with a pleasant warm smile and sparkling hazel eyes.

"Man, I can't say how glad I am to see another human face down here! You're the girl from the Ruins, right? Sorry if I freaked you out, if it helps you got the jump on me too. My name is Frisk by the way," Frisk says so fast his mouth struggles to keep pace with his excitement, his hands wrapped around his shivering torso.

"Hello. How wonderful to finally meet you," The strange girl says with a curtsy and giggle. Frisk finds her voice sweet like sugar and is overcome with relief at no longer being alone. "I do have a teeny bit of a confession to make. I have been watching you and your journey for a while now. I wasn't sure what to expect from you, but I have decided to help you." She returns to her idle stance with her hands clasped over her still chest in an elegant and cute fashion.

_Okay… that doesn't sound creepy at all. Well, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Kind of weird the monsters don't know about her. Guess that shows how good she is at hiding; just what I needed,_ Frisk thought.

"Now that's what I wanted to hear; glad to know you're on my side. Listen, I know the monsters after us can be real scary. But if we work together, I know we can beat them, escape from this hole, and get back to the Surface. Heck, they think that I'm the only human, they don't even know about you. So, whatever you got to say, I'm all ears,"

"Splendid! I cannot tell you how delighted I am to hear that. I have been down here for quite a long while, and it's very important you follow what I'm going to tell you." She claps her hands together to show her approval and Frisk eagerly awaits her instructions. "Because after everything I've seen, I can say with full confidence the best thing you can do is to give up," she says like she is giving him a birthday gift and not a crushing cold coal.

"Whoa, time out! What's that supposed to mean?" Frisk makes a T with his hand before returning them to his shivering sides. He cannot believe she said those words. He rewinds them inside his mind in case he misheard her, or to find any trace of a joke, but finds nothing.

"Seems pretty simple if you ask me," she says with that warm smile, but Frisk no longer finds it inviting.

"Call me a dummy, if you want. Why do I have to give up?" Frisk demands. He does not mean to be so blunt, but he didn't expect the same from her either.

"Well, to be honest, you don't have any chance to succeed. You can try as hard as you like, and I'm sure you will, but it's not going to make any difference in the end. Your journey was doomed to fail before you took your first step. So, you might as well give up before things get bad," she says, her voice reassuring and nurturing like an older concerned sister.

"Gee… Thanks for that amazing advice." Frisk could not have disagreed more. A piece of him is dismayed to hear those words straight from the strange girl's mouth.

"Nice to know we are on the same page. Honestly, I wished someone told me that a long time ago. It would have saved me plenty of trouble."

"Hold on, I'm not interested in playing hide and seek with monsters for the rest of my life. If I'm going to give up, which, for the record, ain't gonna happen, I need a better reason than that."

"Oh, there are so many reasons to give up, every one more fabulous then the last! I couldn't begin to list them all," she says, almost giddy and excited at the prospect.

"Yes, good fortune and your initiative have managed to bring you this far, but the path ahead is only going to get deadlier and more dangerous. Do you really believe you have the bravery to face what the Underground has in store for you?" She speaks with clear concern, but her tongue drips with a quiet poisonous dread turning Frisk small and bare before her.

"Of course; I'm not scared at all," Frisk says, afraid of what she will say next.

"Truly?" She says, unconvinced, along with a sly roll of her eyes.

"I have seen many things here in the Underground. Would you like a taste of what's waiting for you? Oh, do not bother answering; I will tell you anyway." He wants to leave, but at the same time, he needs to know what is coming for him, not that she gives him a choice. Plus, a piece of him refuses to leave this strange girl gazing at him with a sharp, penetrating stare, almost like she is looking inside his soul.

Frisk cannot tell if the sparkles in her eyes are stars or the tips of blades.

"There are deathtraps disguised as puzzles that cannot be solved; monsters that will reject your mercy and hunt you down like a criminal— and in this world, all humans are guilty. Monsters that may wear a friendly face, but will use you to get what they want; and they will never stop, not until they finish you; funny how things are like that." Frisk sinks as her words come crashing down on him like a hailstorm, leaving Frisk uncomfortable and a piece of him in confusion.

"Even if you manage to overcome all that, you will have to face the truth that I have already told you. You're just going to lose in the end. So, tell me, how do you feel?" Frisk is speechless. Her words inspire imagery that torments his psyche, leaving him paralyzed.

_This can't be true. Okay, Flowey is bad, but there's no way the rest of the Underground can be that bad! She has to be lying or talking big. But then again, I haven't seen half the Underground and she's been here longer than me. Could she be telling me the truth?_ Frisk stares at her hoping to find any sign of deception or honestly, but her body language is unreadable. All he can do is stagger, unable to escape the dread inside his mind and heart brought upon by this strange girl.

"That's what I thought. If you are not brave enough to face the truth, then you may as well stop here and now." She crosses her arms together over her chest, projecting a confidence and strength Frisk knows he does not have and he cannot conceal that truth.

"Fine. I'm a little scared, but what the heck am I supposed to do if I give up? We'll be running and hiding from monsters for the rest of our lives. We'll never see the Surface or other humans ever again!" Frisk says, hoping to convince her they should at least try when they may have a greater chance working together.

"From my experience, it's not so bad once you get used to it. Besides, if sanctuary is what you desire, I'm certain Toriel will have no complaints accommodating you at the Ruins. Trust me, she loves children; human or monster, makes no difference to her."

"Toriel told me not to come back," Frisk says in haste.

"Please, surely you can do better than that," she speaks with a scoff.

"And what about you?!" Frisk asks, bringing a curious look to her face and an inquisitive finger to her lips.

"Umm… I suppose you could say there have always been exceptions to the rule, and I'm exempt from all of them! But I know she would welcome you with open arms and a piece of hot butter scotch pie. Sounds nice, when you think about it." She paces in front of him and words spill out of her mouth like maple syrup.

"A nice, safe, and warm place you can call home. Friends ready to be there for you when you need them. And a family that loves and accepts you just for being you." She takes a long pause before stopping to stare into Frisk with her hazel eyes, a deep mixture of green and brown like the forests on the Surface.

"Isn't that what you really want? To be happy and to be not alone… I know I would love to have all of that stuff. And I promise you, it's not going to happen if you stay on your current course." Her voice starts giddy and excited before taking on a serious sullen sternness. Words fail Frisk. He can see the blade hidden within her lips, but to his confusion it's made out of cheap plastic. Along with her words, so sweet and tender he almost wants to eat them; but their taste is terrible.

_All that stuff is really great, and Toriel would do it. But… Mom! I can't give up on her. If I give up…_ Frisk stutters at the thought of never finding his mother.

"That was some nice stuff you said, but my answer is no. I can't give up. Not ever!" Frisk says and stands with as much defiance he could muster. A mild breeze would have knocked him over.

"So that's your choice. Well, at least I tried. If you want to stay out here with monsters, that's fine. But you should know, I cannot guarantee your path will not break or change you. You will not see the truth where you stand now, much less in one piece. Are you willing to take that risk?" She says in a voice that manages to be both endearing and intimidating.

"Yeah, I am. I'll do whatever it takes. I won't give up and I'm not going to change my answer," Frisk stands before this living puzzle. He does not know how or where to start solving her, and is afraid of the solution that he will discover: A helping hand, or a blade in his back.

"Well, like your answer, mine has not changed, either. If you continue the way you are now, you will find failure and then you will find yourself back where you started."

Frisk can feel his blood rising, but keeps it contained. "You really don't have any faith in me. I'm just a lost cause to you."

"Yup! You don't stand a chance alone." She declares with almost joyous delight.

"Fine, I won't do it alone." Frisk extends his hand to her.

_Really wish I could be stuck here with anyone else, but you're all I got,_ Frisk thought, no longer sure if he wants her assistance or presence. But if her words are true, he will need all the help he can get to reach the Surface. Help he knows will not come from the monsters, and if he cannot get along with a human, then what chance does he really have?

"Listen, I don't know what made you like this, but you don't have to be like this anymore. If we work together, I know we can find a way to escape. I'm sure there's someone on the surface who really misses you or you miss them. Just like me. Maybe I'll lose alone, but together, we don't have to lose. We can win together!" Frisk hopes to banish this despair within her and gain her cooperation, but she continues to stand stolidly with her soft smile.

"I remember when I thought like you do now. I believed if I tried hard enough, I could find a way. As long as I never gave up, I would be happy again one day soon. I never stopped dreaming about what I wanted and I never stopped hoping one day my dreams would come true," she says with her head bowed towards the ground and her hand wrapped around her hair ribbon.

"Then, one day, I went too far… That was when I learned the truth." She lets go of her ribbon, and Frisk notices her retracting her foot back away from him. "It happened to me, and it will happen to you. Then you'll end up just like me." Her voice starts sweet but ends sad.

"You don't have to be alone. We could be partners," Frisk begs, hoping she will take his hand, only to be met by an exhaustive sigh.

"If you truly want a partner, you are speaking to the wrong person. I gave up a long time ago. Besides, you seem fine with the partner you already have. It could use some work, in my opinion of course." Her words douse Frisk with a shower of cold water.

_Wait, she knows about Sans or Maribel? How long has she been watching me!? Okay, human or not, I've had enough. This is getting way too creepy for me,_ Frisk thought as he steps away, hoping to escape her company.

"Well, if you really want to stay down here, then fine! I'm not going to stop you. I fell down here in a hole. All I gotta do is find one I can climb out of. I've come way too far to give up now!" Frisk declares and walks away with shut eyes to avoid her penetrating gaze.

_When I come back for Toriel with Mom, hopefully she'll be in a better mood. If she's made it this far without me, she'll be fine a little while longer,_ Frisk thought.

"You really will not give up? You are quite determined, aren't you?" She speaks with a teasing manner.

_Did I walk into an echo chamber or something?!_ Frisk thought with growing irritation, opening his eyes to find the strange girl walking ahead of him with her face turned to him. Frisk tries to escape her, but no matter how fast or slow he moves; she is always ahead of him like a moving mirror. With the limited space and one way forward, there is no way to evade her.

"Your Determination is impressive. Misguided, but impressive."

"Wow… You really know how to talk to people," Frisk says, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

"No one tells me anything anymore."

_Gee, I wonder why. Who wouldn't want to have a ray of sunshine and rainbows like you around?_ Frisk thought as she continues her lecturing.

"Let me tell you something about Determination. Yes, it can be a great and powerful force that can bring you to the things you want. But the more you give yourself to your determination, the harder it is to turn back. Now, this doesn't always have to be a bad thing. But eventually you might reach a point where you have to ask yourself, are you really in control of yourself? Is this really worth all the hassle?" She asks and Frisk could feel his skull splitting in half.

"Of course it's worth it. This is what I want and I'm completely in control of myself! How much clearer do you want me to be!?" Frisk shouts, losing control of his rising temper.

"Did I strike a nerve? I'm sorry. I'm trying to help you, after all," Her voice is sweet, but Frisk finds the flavor of her words beyond bitter and sour.

"Well, you have a really weird way of helping me! You say that I have to give up, but then you say I can't be scared and have to be brave. I can't do both things at the same time, so what are you trying to say to me!?" Frisk shouts, no longer caring if any monster finds them, he will be glad to be rid of her.

"Since you are going to continue, you will eventually learn the truth. Of course, it will crush you, but there is no harm in being prepared. I certainly wasn't. And once you learn, we'll finally be on the same page. I'm looking forward to it already!" She declares with genuine glee.

_Okay, I've had enough of this!_ Frisk thought, his blood boiling.

"Well since you know everything. Why don't you just tell me right now! If you really want me to give up and it's as bad and scary as you say it is, then spit it out right now!" Frisk shouts, hoping to silence the girl and leave her behind.

For a few moments, it does seem to work as she goes silent. "What did you know about monsters, before you fell down here?"

"Just answer my question," Frisk demands.

"I am. Seriously, think about it. Do you not find it strange how no one on the surface knows about these Monsters or Magic? And here is another question: if escape is as easy as you claim it is, why are all of them still down here?" Her words place him in an awkward position.

_Okay, that is kind of weird. I kind of assumed this was their thing. But why wouldn't they go to the surface? Being down here for a week would be enough to drive me crazy; but then again, Maribel said she's been here for years. How long have they been down here? The only way that makes sense is if they…_ Frisk crashes into sudden realization.

"They can't. But how?" Frisk asks, and stares into her smug, satisfied face.

"Getting warmer, but not quite there. This is your last chance, are you sure you want to know?" Her voice goes sing-song, and Frisk stands at a standstill, wanting to know but afraid to ask. "Too scared? Don't worry; I'll make the choice for you. Because even if there's a mountain on top of us, it is zilch compared to the real Barrier keeping us trapped down here."

"A Barrier?" Frisk says in growing confusion, and she nods.

"Ding, ding, ding! Yes, for all your imprisoning needs, use our special patented magical barrier. You cannot see it, you cannot hear it, and you cannot touch it. You'd swear it doesn't exist, but it does. Want to get rid of some unpleasant company for the rest of eternity? No problem! It's completely impregnable and indestructible; just toss those nasty monsters and any humans dumb enough to fall inside and they'll never go back to surface ever again. Call now, and we'll throw in shipping for free," she says like an overly animated car salesman.

"I kid, but seriously, you and I are gonna be stuck here for the rest of our lives. We may as well get used to each other. Maybe we can even be friends! I would like that a lot, wouldn't you!" She says in a cheerful voice and claps her hands.

Meanwhile, Frisk could not have been anymore devastated. "That can't be true." Frisk's heart and world shatters to pieces, knowing the Surface is forever beyond his reach.

"Oh, but it is true. You get to be trapped down here forever with the rest of us, and there is not a thing you can do to change that. I don't know where this barrier came from, but it's quite good at its job. Sure, things can go in, but once you get inside, there's no going outside ever again!" If Frisk was not preoccupied with processing this life destroying revelation, he would be disturbed by how much satisfaction she is taking in this situation and his suffering.

"Toriel never mentioned any of this to me. She would have told me about this!" Frisk tries to hold himself together as he struggles beneath this newfound hopeless reality.

"She probably wanted to protect you from the truth. I mean, would you have left the Ruins if you knew it was pointless? That's what Toriel does. She protects children like you two. But I don't share her priorities. The cold hard truth is always better than a white lie that come back around to bite you in the butt."

"But there has to be a way. There has to be a way out of this place!" Frisk speaks with growing desperation.

"Perhaps, but I doubt it. The monsters have tried everything to reach the surface and all their attempts were in utter vain. Anyone else who tried failed and lived a wasted life, for themselves and anyone else they foolishly involved." Frisk gasps deeply as the gravity of the situation forces him onto his knees. Unable to contain his anxiety, his body quivers and he holds his torso to keep himself from falling. A piece of him is stunned with disbelief.

_It can't be true! There has to be a way out of here! I have to be- no, I need to be able to escape. This has to be some kind of trick or lie!_ Frisk thought as he becomes a raging whirlpool of emotions, thoughts, and concerns.

"Oh, and before you think I'm lying, go ahead and ask literally any monster. They all know this to be true. You see they all accepted the truth a long time ago and gave up, just like me! So, what would you like to do now?" She says in an almost whimsical manner, taking some sick and twisted delight in his anguish with her bountiful smile.

_If it is true, then that means I can never go back to the surface! I can never see… Mom_! Frisk grabs his head as it feels like a vice squeezes and presses him like a walnut. He tries to free himself from a truth that will not stop crushing him until he becomes dust.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" He says along with looking up at her smile, sinister in his eyes, it quells his tormented emotional storm until only sadness and anger remain.

"You were the one who asked. I'm just telling you what you were going to find out sooner or later. Consider this my mercy,"

"What kind of Mercy is this?!" Frisk shouts and punches the ground, the cold numb under his rising temper.

"I'm sparing you from wasting your time and energy. I know you must be mad or sad, but there's no need. Like I said, your journey was doomed before it started. Now you can join me." She says, casting her stare down at him as if he is some kind of insect far beneath her.

"But I need to find my Mom." He pleads.

"Wow… You're doing all this to find your parent? What a childish dream." Something breaks inside Frisk. Something he didn't know was there or could be broken. From this wound, surges a bloody, nasty feeling that festers across him like a poison. All his confusion and fear disappear, replaced by a burning anger.

Frisk leaps from the ground to throw himself at her. She avoids him with a slide to the side and sly smile on her foxy face, giggling beneath her breath. "So, you want to keep fighting?" She asks and Frisk turns around in a fit.

"No! I'm not going to fight and I'm not going to stop! I don't care about the barrier or how impossible you say it is. I'll find a way to escape the barrier and get back to the surface. I won't give up on my hopes and dreams!" Frisk is breathless, surprising even himself with the strength of his voice. He awaits her response as she stands with her back turned to him.

"So nothing can stop you. Well, no one cannot say I didn't try. Very well, you can do whatever you like. We'll just have to wait and see who is right in the end. Hopefully we will see eye to eye once that happens."

"That definitely will not happen! I'll do whatever it takes to prove you wrong! And that's a promise!" Frisk shouts at the girl. Even behind his anger, he notes how she holds onto her blue hair ribbon.

"Really, you want to prove me wrong that badly? How about we make things more interesting? There is a weak point in the barrier. It lies in the heart of the Underground, in the capital where King Asgore is. I'll be waiting for you, will you promise to meet me there?" Her words bring a small smile to his face, a drop of hope in this sea of despair, but accompanied with a bit of confusion.

"Wait, how the heck are you gonna get there?"

"I have my ways. You don't have to worry about little old me."

_Oh don't worry about that!_ Frisk thought with a scowl.

"So, are you willing to brave through the obstacles of the Underground, no matter how perilous they become? In spite of whatever truths you come to learn? Will you do anything to prove me wrong?" Frisk breaths and thinks, not sure what she is asking of him or what he is agreeing to. "Do you promise me you'll be there?"

"I'll bet my life I'll be there."

"Good. Very well than, I'll be going now. I wish you two the best of luck. Goodbye for now, it was nice meeting you… Frisk." She walks away from him.

_A weak point is all I need to reach the surface and find Mom. Doesn't matter what you or anyone else… wait a second._

"What's your name?" Frisk asks, and the question does make her pause and hold her stance, it is only when Frisk approaches her, that she speaks.

"They called me Amy." The Strange girl runs faster than before, spurring Frisk to pursue after her.

"Hold on, I have so many more… questions?" Frisk stops when he gazes upon the ground, not believing the sight. He rubs his eyes to remove any possible debris from them, but there is no change when he opens them again.

"No way, that's impossible. How did you-?" Frisk turns up to see nothing. He is all alone on this cliff side. He scans in every direction for a sign of her presence and finds nothing. "What are you?"

Frisk returns to the path, leaving behind a trail of footprints in the snow.

The only trail on the entire path.


	13. Chapter 13: Skeletons in the Forest

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 13

* * *

"Give up." Frisk walks down the cliff side path to whatever awaiting destination. His hands are hard at work keeping his chest and sides warm, but his thoughts remain heavy and thick. They are better than any winter coat, as Frisk could not feel the cold amidst his distress.

_How could I give up? There's no way I could ever do that. Mom would never forgive me. Amy's got no idea what she's talking about. And what was that stuff about watching me, like a spy or something? Talk about creepy. If that's true, then all that means is Amy could have helped me out any time, but didn't. I can't trust her!_ Frisk's gaze falls to the floor as his mind travels to their first encounter in the Ruins.

"Best joke ever". He whispers. _What was she talking about? She knows something. Something she doesn't want to tell me. But don't worry, Mom. I won't let her stop me from finding you_. Frisk looks up at the sky with a smile on his face, meeting the black stone ceiling of the Underground. Frowning with the knowledge that there is an invisible and indestructible Barrier standing in his way.

"Well, she does have one point, I guess. Flowey, Papyrus, Asgore, and Undyne… This whole place is out to kill or capture me. It's only going to get harder from here on out," Frisk admits as a loud mechanical sound grinds from beneath the floor. Frisk flinches in surprise.

"What the heck was that?" Frisk spots two green circles and a stepping stone on the ground beneath his snow prints. "Huh? How did I-?"

"Goodness gracious, you managed to do it again, Human!" Frisk's heart almost jumps out of his chest as Papyrus emerges from behind him.

_Where did you come from?!_ Frisk thought as the skeleton monster overlooks him with a vigilant stare.

"You must love puzzles as much as I do. You didn't even have to try with this puzzle!" Papyrus says before changing his casual posture to a more stolid and domineering one. "Oh, wait, what I mean is... Do not get ahead of yourself, Human. This first puzzle is a mere sample of my puzzle crafting mastery. They shall test you like never before, and once you are defeated; I will capture you!" The monster proclaims, leaving Frisk in a state of fright.

"But more importantly, what did you think about the meal?" Papyrus asks.

_The meal?!You mean that pile of worms covered in 6 month old milk with spoiled eyeballs? I'm shocked it didn't kill me! But… But…_ Frisk cowers as he stares at the living, walking, and talking skeleton monster from beyond the grave. His breath is stolen away as this vestige of death asks Frisk about his cooking.

"Yeah, it was the best that I've ever had." Frisk murmurs before his heart shatters into pieces.

"Really!? Wowie. No one's ever enjoyed my cooking before…Well then, fret not, Human! I, master chef Papyrus, will make you all the pasta you could ever want!"

_AHHHHHHHHH!_ Frisk thought with the best smile he can make under the circumstances; knowing all it will take is one touch of the monster's cooking for his journey to end. Once the moment passes, he joins Papyrus in the next puzzle arena. They arrive at a large open space which contains a complex arrangement of X's on the ground. Piles of snow separate the puzzle into different sections to create a specific pattern.

"Human!" Frisk flinches and gives the skeleton monster his undivided attention. "Hmm… How do I say this? You were taking a long time to arrive, so… I decided to improve this puzzle by rearranging the snow to look more like my magnificent face."

"Yeah, your face sure does look great," Frisk says with a fledgling voice.

"Glad you agree, Human! Unfortunately, the snow froze to the ground. Now the solution is different! And as usual, my lazy brother is nowhere around. Did you know he keeps a sock collection in his room? How saddening; sometimes I wonder what he would do without such a cool guy taking care of him? Nyeh heh heh!"

_Where is Sans, anyway? I really need to talk to him. Besides Maribel, he's probably the only person I can talk to,_ Frisk thought as he does his best to avoid looking at the monster, missing the heroic and bold pose Papyrus strikes as he brings his hand to his chest-armor and hip, his scarf flowing in the breeze like a cape.

"Worry not, Human! I, the Great Papyrus, will solve this conundrum! Then we can proceed together. Meanwhile, feel free to try the puzzle yourself."

"Sure, why not. I love puzzles." Frisk approaches the maze of blue X's with another single stepping stone left on the side. There is a wooden sign sticking out of the snowy ground.

Turn all X's into O's and press the switch.

_Alright, seems simple enough_. Frisk enters the maze stepping on one of blue X's, turning it into an orange circle. When he crosses it again, it turns back into a blue X. _So no backtracking. Well, I guess that would be too easy._

Frisk makes his way through the maze of snow and X's, working to find a way to turn them into O's. It does not take long for him to learn how sensitive the X's are and how careful he must be. Often he backs himself into a corner to his frustration, and he has no choice but to deliberately turn O's back into X's. It takes several attempts, but with trial and error, Frisk transforms all of the blue X's into orange O's.

_Ah, finally. Well, that wasn't as scary or bad as I thought it would be._ Frisk exits the maze to press the step stone switch to deactivate the puzzle. The air remains strangely silent to his confusion. Frisk turns back to the puzzle, to his surprise the puzzle has reset itself. The orange O's have transformed back into blue X's, leaving his progress undone.

_What?! Why did that happen? Ugh, fine. Already know the solution anyway_. Frisk returns to the maze to solve the puzzle again. He turns all the X's back into O's and he returns to the stepping stone. Before pressing it, he takes an intense but brief stare at the puzzle to ensure it remains the same. Which it is. Frisk presses the stone switch. Again, the air is silent.

"Please don't tell me. Nope, I'm not going to look at it," Frisk whispers.

"Wow, Human! You must love puzzles more than I do. To solve it two times, just to go back to solve it again!" Papyrus says. Frisk does not say anything. Instead he rubs his temples to calm himself and leaves to solve the tile puzzle once again.

Several Failures Later...

_Okay! This better work this darn time!_ Frisk thought as his foot hovers over the stepping stone.

He did everything possible to solve the puzzle and ensure it stays solved. He superglues his eyes to the puzzle to capture every detail, yet they do not reveal any answers. He left piles of snow to keep X's active continuously; they made no difference. He ran a marathon through the puzzle so it could finally take a hint. By now, Frisk could no longer contain his irritation. Breath steams from his orifices and any cold inside him is devoured by his boiling blood.

He steps on the button and the puzzle resets yet again.

"Ahhhhh!" Frisk kicks snow into the air and throws himself down to punch the ground and plants his face. _Why does this keep happening?_

"Excuse me, Human!" Papyrus says.

_Oh, of course you're here! The only thing missing from this picture is Flowey_. Frisk buries his face deeper into the ground, no longer caring for the cold.

"Listen, I can see how much enjoyment you are getting from solving this puzzle. But really, we must be moving along now. Normally, I would never do this. But since you have already solved the puzzle 8 times, I will disable it so we can continue."

Frisk lifts his head out of the snow. His face so red and hot, snow melts as it streaks across him. "You mean you could have done this the entire time?!"

"Of course, human, but I did not wish to interrupt your amusement!" Papyrus goes to a bush and pushes a second hidden switch that deactivates the puzzle. The spikes which barred the exit drop beneath the ground. Frisk's eyebrow twitches as he tries his best to contain boiling steam inside him.

"Now, onwards to the next puzzle, Human! Unless you wish to surrender to the Great Papyrus now!"

"No! Let's move on, already!" Frisk says through gritted teeth, stomping his way to the other side of the cliff where Sans is waiting for them with a cheesy grin.

"Wow, kid. You look awfully steamed. Wanna chill out for a few seconds?"

"No. I'm perfectly fine," Frisk states, not in the mood for a Q&A at the current moment.

"That's great to hear, kid. Cause I love doing absolutely nothing," Sans says before moving on ahead. Frisk stops to collect his thoughts.

_Okay, calm down, Frisk. Just a bad puzzle and a bad joke. You've been through way worse down here. Think happy thoughts. Mom... home... Butterscotch Pie... and... and wait, why am I thinking about Miss Toriel?_ Frisk thought and squeezes his head to calm down before rejoining the Skeleton Brothers.

He arrives at what appears to be a large disco floor with no ball. It's a large metallic glass floor which glistens and shines, broken into many tiles in a checkerboard pattern. It ends with the two Skeletons on the other side standing next to a large computer console.

"Human! I can guarantee that this puzzle will finally be your match! It was made by the great Dr. Alphys! You see those tiles!? Once I throw this switch, they will begin to change color! Each color has a different function:

Red tiles are impassible; you cannot pass them!

Yellow tiles are Electric; step on them and they will give you quite the shock!

Green tiles are alarm tiles; if you step on them, you will have to fight a monster! Unfortunately, we had no volunteers, so consider them safety tiles.

Orange tiles are orange scented; they will make you smell delicious!

Blue tiles are water tiles. Swim through them if you like, but if you smell like Oranges, the piranhas will bite you! Also, if a water tile is next to a yellow tile, the blue tile will zap you!

Purple Tiles are slippery' step on one and you will slide across to the next tile! However, the slippery soap will clean you if you smell like oranges!

Finally, there are Pink tiles; they do not do anything. Step on them all you like!" Papyrus finishes.

"Wait, what...?" Frisk says with a hanging jaw and bewildered eyes, his mind overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.

"Yes, human; I can tell by the look on your face that you are just bursting with anticipation! And this brings me to the best thing about this puzzle! It is entirely randomized! When I pull this switch, it will make a puzzle that has never been seen before. Even I will not know the answer! Nyeh Heh Heh! So get ready, Human!" The monster pulls the switch and the tiles all light up in a rainbow of changing colors.

The colors flash against Frisk's eyes; they are not bright enough to blind him, but hold him in suspense. Each pattern that emerges quickly disappears to be replaced by one deadlier than the previous. Yet they take a distant second place to the possibilities within his mind, and that is assuming the instructions he was given are honest. Frisk covers his eyes, dreading whatever comes next.

"Hey kid, you can look now." Sans says. It takes a few moments before Frisk can lower his arms to discover the puzzle in front of him: A solid continuous wide line of pink tiles flanked by red tiles on both sides. His heart skips a beat from relief and shock.

"Oh. I wasn't expecting that," Frisk says.

"Neither was I!" Papyrus says, his voice dumbfounded and dripping with deep disappointment.

_Wow, I was expecting it to be so much worse._ Frisk makes his way across the pink tiles with ease, until he reaches the center tile.

"Look Sans, it's working... again!" The Monster says as every tile, barring the one Frisk stands on, flashes into random colors until a new arrangement emerges. One far more complex and difficult than the one from before.

"Wonderful! This puzzle is far superior then the previous one! Wouldn't you agree, human?" The monster says with a smile on his face, one which Frisk cannot match as he intensely stares at the monster with frustration. Frisk shifts his gaze to Sans, his smile more nervous than his brother's.

_What have you gotten me into, Sans?! This is a death trap!_ Frisk struggles to recall the meaning behind their colors as he steps forward. He remembers the yellow color when a static shock courses through his body. It's far from lethal, more akin to a joy buzzer to the eleventh degree, but not a pleasant sensation by any definition.

The shock sends Frisk tripping backwards where he slides across a line of purple tiles to the near beginning of the puzzle and falls into a blue tile filled with water. Luckily, piranhas don't like icy cold water. Unfortunately, neither does Frisk, as the freezing water cuts deep into him with frigid fluids. Frisk grabs the ledge and casts his shivering self onto a convenient green tile. And fortunately, there were no volunteers that wanted to participate in the puzzle.

"Uhh… Okay, universe, you can make things worse now." As if by command, the tiles flash into another series of random patterns until a brand new arrangement, and more difficult puzzle, takes its place. "Why did I like puzzles again?" Frisk returns to his feet and gazes at the new puzzle that needs to be solved.

What follows is best described as an exercise in absolute tedium. Every time Frisk solves the puzzle, it changes patterns. Every time Frisk takes a few steps, it changes patterns. And every time someone on the surface complains about an irrelevant mundane topic not worthy of discussion, the puzzle changes. The one positive of the whole ordeal is that the colors and their functions have burned themselves into Frisk's memory for all time.

"Congratulations, Human! You finally solved the Puzzle! You must be so proud right now!" Papyrus says as Frisk falls flat unto the ground from exhaustion and frustration.

"Yeah, I'm as proud as a horse going to the glue factory for the first time." Frisk murmurs into the ground.

"Marvelous, Human! You are indeed a worthy opponent! At this rate, I will be out of puzzles to capture you! But fret not, Human, I have one final test for you! I am certain that you find it a true challenge and that it will finally defeat you!"

"Oh, thank you so very much," Frisk says with absolute apathy.

"No problem, Human! I shall meet you there! It shall be the site of your defeat and my triumph!" The monster leaves as Frisk remains buried in the ground, no longer caring if the snow freezes him into an ice cube. He almost finds it a preferable fate to continuing this ordeal.

"Listen, Kid, I know this is harder than you expected, but-"

"Do I really have to keep doing this, Sans?"

"C'mon, Kid, don't let these puzzles put ya down in the dumps. Sure, there's been a few glitches, but you're in no real danger."

"Yeah, for now. Two or three more of these, and I'll be a skeleton."

"Hey, take it from me, kid, there ain't nothing better than being a Skeleton. Nothing ever gets under our Skin!"

"You know what I mean," Frisk says, unfazed.

"Just trying to lift your spirits, kid. Besides, even Paps said that he's only got one more puzzle left. Beat that one and you're in the clear. Don't ya want that?"

"What I want is to not be captured, which your brother still wants to do."

"He couldn't catch the common cold, Kid. Trust me when I say that everything is fine. Besides, Paps is having so much fun. You don't want to give up on having fun, do ya?"

Frisk lifts his snow covered head to reveal his joyless and stolid face. "I'm not having any fun."

"I can see that, kid, which is why I really appreciate ya for doing this. And yeah, I guess you don't have to do this if you really don't want to do it. But you're doing a lot more good than you think."

"What am I doing, Sans?" Frisk finds himself lifted off the ground as Sans grabs his shoulders and helps him get back to his feet. He takes the time to wipe away snow from his sweater and face.

"You're lending a real helping hand, Frisk. Means a lot more to him and to me then you believe, so put her there." Sans sticks out his hand to Frisk.

As Frisk comes back to his senses, he finds himself staring back into the smiling skull of Sans. Frisk's soul is torn into two halves. One piece of him cowers, shrinking in size as he stands in the presence of the Skeleton monster, the other half is touched by Sans' assistance and finds relief in his wide smile. These two sides pull and play a tug of war at him, whether to break his word and flee or to continue this parade of puzzles to who knows what end. But with a tired sigh, one side comes out on top.

"Alright. One more puzzle it is," Frisk shakes Sans' hand. To his pleasant surprise, there is no joy buzzer or whoopee cushion.

"Thanks a million, kid; a lot of people wouldn't do this in your position. You're one of the good ones." Even Frisk could not resist a smile when San's words sink into him. A piece of him didn't believe Sans at all, but Frisk relishes in the warmth washing over him like a blanket to protect him from the cold.

"Hey, if it's not too much to ask, can we just talk when this is over?" Frisk asks.

"Sure, we can chit-chat. Keep this up and you'll be out of Snowdin in no time. See ya up ahead." With that, the skeleton walks on ahead to join his brother, leaving Frisk behind and alone with his thoughts.

_I will capture a Human! Then I, the Great Papyrus, will get all the things I utterly deserve!_ The monster's words echo inside Frisk's head, causing him to back away in his tracks.

"You'll let me through, but will he?" Frisk takes a deep gulp and continues down the path, his thoughts occupied with the more determined of the two Skeleton brothers. The biggest puzzle of them all on this parade.

_Sans is really convinced that everything is just going to turn out okay. I mean, even if I beat this last puzzle, there's no way Papyrus is just going to let me walk past him. He wants to capture me no matter what, but at the same time, he's really bad at his job. Is it an act? Even if I didn't make that promise, there's no way I could take him on in a fight. And having fun? What kind of fun is there in being captured like a bad guy? What do they want from me and what did I do wrong? And what does Papyrus get out of-!_

"This?" Frisk comes across two snow skeletons on the side of the path. Well a snow skeleton and large pile of snow with a crudely assembled smiley face. One undeniably bears Papyrus' likeness with its smooth large skull and wide smiling grin, although the muscular chiseled chest most likely falls under the department of artistic license. The other, going by the name label, is Sans.

Frisk's attention turns to the taller snow skeleton, standing to contemplate the two Papyruses he's encountered on his journey: Papyrus the Puzzle loving doofus and Papyrus the Human Hunting Fanatic. "What are you, and what do you want from me? Do I even want to find out?"

A large sneeze sounds in the air.

"Bless You." Frisk flinches around to find the sneeze's source, and it does not take long for him to find it.

A large moose-reindeer creature casually walks behind him, one with a vertical mouth and antlers that end in small evergreen trees and four polka-dot spots on its rear end. The monster appears to have a collection of random possessions left strung around their body at random. Despite Frisk's blessings, they snort and sneer at Frisk, enraged at his mere presence.

"Ummm... hi," Frisk says. The monster grounds their front heel into the ground, dragging it back again and again.

"What are you do- Ah!" Frisk rolls across the ground to evade the monster as they charge at him with a great deal of power and strength. While Frisk evades the furious attack, the same cannot be said for the snow skeletons. The monster's attack reduces them to broken pieces spewed across the ground.

"Hey, what's your problem?" Frisk sees the monster struggling with their antlers in the ground, rubbing and thrashing with unrelenting force. The effort continues until the monster removes themselves from the snowy ground with no change in their appearance or mood, except a profound look of disappointment and contempt as they sneer at Frisk.

Frisk is all too eager to flee from the wild monster or animal, but is unable to escape from their enraged stare. The monster digs its heels again. He raises his arms to address the monster. "Hey, calm down, I didn't do anything to... you?"

A sticker that was stuck between the monster's forehead falls to the ground. The act manages to break the creature's concentration, looking at the sticker before returning their attention to Frisk. The piercing anger within their eyes remains intact, but it has decreased. The monster prepares to charge again, but Frisk acts first.

"Wait, don't do anything!" Frisk raises his arms, putting them in front of him in case he needs to react swiftly to another attack. He keeps them low to the ground and as motionless as possible to avoid antagonizing the monster. While the monster remains enraged, they seem willing to hear him out.

"Just stay calm! Please, don't do anything. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I promise." Frisk approaches the monster with great care and slow speed. When Frisk enters the monster's personal space, they buck wildly into the air. Frisk surprises himself by holding his ground, or perhaps he is simply too afraid to move. The monster adjusts themselves to his position and height, waiting to learn what Frisk will do next.

With careful diligence, Frisk reaches the monster's tree antler and removes a picture frame stuck inside their branches. Frisk can tell that the action takes the monster by surprise. To his distress, the monster observes him intensely, before turning around where an electronic device is jammed into their head. Frisk removes it, taking the opportunity to remove some string decoration wrapped around their antlers.

The process of undecorating continues. The tension and fear plummets as Frisk becomes more at ease and the monster becomes more cooperative. In the end, it comes down to removing a tree shaped car scent wrapped around their tail. "There we go, feeling a lot better now?" Frisk asks.

"Yes, child. Thank you so much for this act of kindness. You have lifted many great burdens off me." Gyfrot says.

_You can talk, too? You know, I really should stop being surprised by that now,_ Frisk thought.

"I apologize for charging at you. The youth in town found me while I was asleep. They have a bad sense of humor. When I saw you and how young you were, everything turned red."

"No problem, glad to help," Frisk says in a fragile voice and is taken off guard as the monster licks his cheek with a wet but warm slimy tongue.

"You cannot improve perfection child. Thank you again for what you have done." Gyfrot leaves with a smile grinning up and down to Frisk's mild discomfort, but accepting it as they part ways.

With the disturbance finished, Frisk returns to the path and makes his way back to the skeleton brothers and whatever they have planned for him. At the top of this cliff side, Frisk spots lights shining from small structures in the distance. The town of Snowdin, a place of potential safety and great peril. Frisk gulps deeply, standing for a few seconds until the cold gives him a harsh reminder of his only other available choice.

"Come on, Frisk; Maribel lives there and she can help you. Better than freezing to death out here... I hope." Frisk follows the path until he arrives at a rope bridge that hangs over a wide gap between the two cliff sides. Frisk steps on the first wooden plank, the bridge shakes from his added weight. The ground is only a few dozen feet below him, but his vision renders it bottomless. Frisk backs off the bridge, gasping for breath and shutting his eyes to cool his nerves.

_Okay, Frisk. Calm down; you can do this._ Frisk shuts his eyes and grabs the rope to steady himself on the wooden planks. He makes his way across the bridge at a slow and steady pace, one that a tortoise and hare would find too cautious. He keeps a near death grip on the rope, never moving forward unless his foot is firmly planted on the next wooden plank.

_Just keep on going Frisk. You have to be almost there. Just stay calm, don't open your eyes, and keep on goi-!_

"Human!" The monster shouts.

"Ahh!" Frisk's eyes flash open, and he finds himself halfway across the bridge with Sans & Papyrus waiting at the opposite end. The bridge's instability and bottomless chasm add to the dread and panic that comes from the monster's sudden announcement. Frisk whimpers as the gravity of the situation weighs down on him, he just hopes he does not have to learn about the other kind of gravity.

"This will be your final and most dangerous challenge! Behold! The Gauntlet of Deadly Terror!" The monster declares and raises his boney arms into the air like a giant Y. All Frisk could do is ask 'why' inside his head. Like following his command, several weapons extend outwards from the cliff, held in midair by a complex system of pulleys, chain, and rope. They include spinning blades, a flame thrower, a giant spiked ball, and an armed cannon ready to fire, all pointed directly at him or the bridge.

"Meep." It's the only word Frisk could bring himself to say. His face puckers like sucking on a lemon while his eyes gorge with shock, immensely stunned at the puzzle and this sudden drastic shift in lethality and wondering where it came from.

"When I say the word, it will fully activate! Cannons will fire! Blades will slice! Spikes will swing! Each part will swing violently up and down! You will only have the tiniest chance of victory! Prepare yourself, Human!" The monster says.

"Prepare?! This is completely crazy! No one can prepare for a puzzle like this!"

"Thank you Human! I put so much work into this puzzle! I am glad it meets your high standards! I hope that you are ready!" The monster says and triumphantly raises his fist into the air. The action renders Frisk silent and still, paralyzed by the dread of having to defeat this puzzle.

_He really expects me to beat this puzzle!? This isn't even a puzzle! This is a real Death Trap! How did we go from tile puzzles to a gauntlet of deadly terrors!? Sans, we never agreed to anything like this!_ Frisk stands in a state of nerve breaking anticipation, desperate to run but unable to do so, lest the bridge fall apart.

"Because... I... certainly am... ready...! I am... about... to do it!" Papyrus says in a broken and drawn out manner, stretching every second beyond measure with his words. Once he finishes a long period of silence hangs between them, an entirely excruciating experience for Frisk as the monster tortures him by sustaining this dreadful moment for him. Frisk almost wants the puzzle to activate if only so the suspense can finally end.

"Well? What's the holdup?" Sans breaks the silence.

_Don't encourage him!_ Frisk screams inside his head.

"Holdup! There is no Holdup brother! I'm… I'm about to activate it now." More moments of silence and inactivity passes.

"That doesn't look very activated." Sans adds.

"Well… this challenge! Perhaps it would be too easy… to defeat the human. Yes that's it! We cannot use this puzzle! I am a Skeleton with standards! I expertly cook my Puzzles and this method has no class at all!" Papyrus says and Frisk wipes his forehead clean with a sigh of relief.

"So away it goes!" With those words the cannon fires a ball into the air where it collides and destroys the opposite side of the cliff where the other end of the bridge is connected. That side of the bridge cascades into the chasm, and with no support the remainder of the bridge drops piece by piece into a descent to the bottom, one which approaches Frisk.

"Oh, you have got to kidding me!" Frisk tries to charge, only to immediately retreat as the spiked ball plummets and nearly crushes him. Thankfully, the spike ball does not crash down through the bridge to destroy the middle section. However, as it rises the bridge starts to lose all weight and stability. Frisk has no interest in giving the spike ball a second chance and flees for his life.

Frisk charges across the bridge, abandoning all caution and care to reach safety, his raw instinct overpowers all reason and sense. It nearly brings about his end as two swinging pendulum blades almost slice him into pieces. They trap him in between as the blades swing back in forth while the bridge continues to collapse. With no time to waste and safety mere feet away, Frisk throws himself in between a gap to escape the blades with inches to spare.

The effort succeeds, and in more ways than one, as the bridge collapses to lie against the side of the cliff. Leaving him soaring in mid-air as he dives towards the safety of solid ground where the two skeleton monsters await him. Papyrus stretches his arm out towards Frisk as he reaches to grab him. Then as if he is hit by another cannon ball of common sense, the realization hits Frisk.

This skeleton monster from beyond the grave, hell-bent on capturing him, is reaching out for him.

"No! I won't let you take me away from her!" Frisk backs away, breaking his momentum which causes him to fall down into the chasm. Believing he has reached his end; Frisk shuts his eyes in complete disbelief that the Skeleton brothers would betray him like this.

Strangely enough there is no fall, as if gravity decided to take a vacation. Frisk opens his eyes to find himself floating in midair with a strange blue glow surrounding him. Luckily, he is close enough to the bridge that hangs off the side of the cliff. Not caring about the explanation and wasting no time, Frisk grabs the loose planks to climb like a ladder.

A gushing chill flares up his spine as the frozen breeze from below burns into his skin. The bottomless chasm returns to haunt him whenever Frisk looks anywhere but up. But looking up brings the skulls of the skeleton brothers into his shuddering sights. The strain on his arms is great and enormous but Frisk finds the strength to carry himself. When the flame thrower breathes fire, it ignites the bridge with a fire that swiftly consumes the wooden planks and woven rope.

The sight fills Frisk with dread… and something else.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Frisk climbs the bridge as he makes his way plank after plank. While the flames grow higher and hotter, they provide him with all the motivation he needs to climb faster. Frisk reaches the top of the cliff where he throws himself over to the side while the bridge falls into the chasm in pieces of fire. He falls on his back, gasping for breath but relieved that he was able to make it out of the death trap alive.

"Wow… I really did it! I can't believe I'm still in one piece!" He says almost delirious and disbelieving he could manage such a feat.

"Indeed, you did Human! My goodness; you have to be the second most- I mean the most extraordinary person that I-!" Papyrus says as he approaches Frisk with an extended hand.

"Get away from me!" Frisk slaps the monster's hand away.

"Human, I am sorry about the puzzle. It activated on its own. I did not mean any harm."

"Oh, is that the truth?! How convenient!" Frisk returns to his feet, a burning anger inside him which allows him to stand before the monster without cold and fear for the first time.

"Please tell me if there is anything that I can do to-"

"You've done more than enough! Now get out of my way!" Frisk marches past the monster, not giving Papyrus any opportunity to act or speak.

"Please, Human. I can see that you are upset. Tell me what is wrong!" Frisk stops in his tracks. The question stabs him in the back like a rusty and dirty blade.

"Wrong? You're seriously asking me what's wrong?! Ever since I met you, you have been trying to capture me with puzzles and now you almost got me killed!"

"You didn't enjoy the puzzles, Human?! I thought we were having fun together."

"No, I love puzzles! I spent hours solving them at home! What I don't love is being captured by puzzles! Being treated like a bad guy for no reason! And being hunted like an animal! How is that fun for any normal person!?"

"I see. I ruined your enjoyment of puzzles with my attempts to capture you. I must apologize Human. I never meant to cause such an injustice!"

"Then stop trying to capture me!" Frisk demands.

"I am afraid that I cannot do that, Human. I must become a member of the Royal Guard. It is the only way that I will become popular and strong enough to-!"

"You aren't listening to me! I don't want to be captured and I am not going to let you or anyone else capture me! Not today, not tomorrow, and not ever!" Frisk shouts at the top of his lungs, he surprises himself and renders Papyrus silent.

"I see. Well, if that is the case, I now know the solution. Very well, human, there will be no more puzzles!"

"Thank goodness."

"If you intend to leave Snowdin, we will have to engage each other in combat."

"WHAT!?" Frisk screams.

"Papyrus, what are you doing?" Sans speaks with clear concern in his voice.

"Do not question me, brother. If the human does not wish to be captured with puzzles, then this is the only choice that I have left at my disposal. I, the Great Papyrus, must do this if I am to be strong enough to join the Royal Guard and protect my friends. Just like Undyne."

"Well, I'm not gonna give up on reaching the surface, either. If you wanna stay in my way, fine by me. I'm just going to have to find a way to go through you!" Frisk marches away before he can do anything else that he will regret in his current foul state of mind.

_At least now I know who the real Papyrus is,_ Frisk thought as he leaves. Papyrus proceeds in a different direction, both heading towards their inevitable collision. Sans remains behind where he overlooks both of them with a worried face.

"Wow. Never thought I'd see the day I put these lazy bones to work."


	14. Chapter 14: A Good Time with Sans

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 14

* * *

Frisk marches his way towards Snowdin Town with a scowl on his face. He stomps into the ground and kicks snow as he travels. His fists hang freely from his sides, for the first time he does not need his hands to stay warm. Like a bleeding wound, anger spills heat and frustration that keeps Frisk hot but far from content.

_I don't care what happens. Anything else is better_ , Frisk thought as he puts the Skeleton Brothers as far away behind him in mind as they are in reality. Yet as he continues his trek, he spots Sans casually standing along the path's side with his smiling grin.

"Heya, Kid, care to have that chit-chat?" Frisk walks past Sans without giving any attention or word.

The fear he has come to expect in the presence of the skeleton monster remains buried beneath his temper. Yet, with his back turned to Sans, some unease manages to breach the surface to tighten his nerves. To quell his feelings, he turns around, where Sans has not moved an inch. Frisk closes his eyes and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Kid, didn't ya hear me from before?" Sans says before him. Frisk yelps and tumbles backwards onto the ground. His sight shifts from Sans to the empty space where he previously occupied in confusion.

"How did you do that?! You were there, but now you're here?" Frisk's fingers engage each other in a pointing duel, his mind stuck on how the Skeleton managed to move so swiftly and without notice.

"It's called walking, kid; even I'm not that lazy. Plus, I know a shortcut or two." Sans extends a mitten-covered hand towards him. Frisk rejects the offer as he brings himself back to his feet.

"Yeah, you aren't lazy at all. You know when to act and when to stand around on the sidelines," Frisk crosses his arms and shoots a scornful gaze at Sans.

"Listen, kid, I can tell that you're steamed, and things got ugly back there for sure. But I swear, it wasn't Papyrus' fault. You were never supposed to be in any real danger; something went wrong with the puzzles." Sans says and Frisk rolls his eyes.

"Really?! I guess everything makes perfect sense now. I mean, it's not like a puzzle your brother created almost killed me and now he wants to fight me. Yeah, nothing is his fault, and you know what else, Sans? Your eye socket sure came in handy. I couldn't have made it this far without your great help," Frisk's voice is laden with sarcasm and he's eager to leave Sans behind.

"C'mon, kid, you can be angry if ya want. But don't tell me you wanna go off in a nasty mood like this? No good can come from it."

"Then please tell Papyrus to let me go; that'll fix everything!"

"I tried to, kid, I really did. But here's the thing about Paps. Once he sets his mind to something, it takes a lot of talking to get him to back down. Trust me kid, I do not want him to fight you." Frisk was afraid of this outcome. This is why he did not want to meet and speak to Sans. He did not want the wound to fester.

"That's just great! Well Sans, real nice talking to ya. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving now," Frisk speaks, almost on the edge of shouting.

"Hold on, Kid. You gotta listen to me before-."

"Listen to you? No thanks, Sans. No offense, but I've haven't seen a whole lot to convince me whether you're on my side or not. Heck, for all I know, this is part of the plan. Tire me down with puzzles, lower my guard, and that's when you two go in for the final blow. I Almost didn't see it coming."

"Quite the nut job scheme you cooked up there, kid. You'd make a decent sentry, but like I told you before, I ain't interested in capturing anyone, including you. While I can't do anything for Paps, I can do something for ya if you're willing to hear me out." Sans says in an almost pleading fashion.

Frisk wants to deny the offer, listening to the piece of him that never liked Sans. However, he cannot forget about the company Sans provided while his stomach was turned upside down. Sans also remains his best chance of avoiding a fight with Papyrus. Yet his experiences and burning frustrations refuse to leave him content. If he had a pillow to punch, his fists would reduce it to small pile of feathers.

"I just don't get it. I've only been down here for a few hours and I've almost died a dozen times already! I ran into a bunch of dogs back in the forest and they said it was the law that I had to be captured. I'm just a kid! I haven't done anything wrong, but I have to be captured like the bad guy for no reason!" Frisk kicks a small pile of snow into the air, before plopping down to hug his knees.

"And people wonder why I don't want to give up and stay down here!" Frisk sighs as he sits for a few seconds. Frisk grovels in self-pity until a bony hand grasps his shoulder with tender care, but with enough distance to keep him comfortable.

"Kid, you seem like you're having a bad day. Come with me; I'll show you something, and I guarantee it will chill you out." Sans removes himself and walks away from Frisk.

"Why should I go?" Frisk asks.

"You mean why should I go? You're the one who asked me to talk, kid. And you'd better hurry; my breaks don't last forever. Course, that's up to you." The distance grows between them along with the temptation to either ignore or join him

_On one hand, it could be a trap, with Papyrus waiting for me at the end. But then again, Sans hasn't done anything too bad, either. I mean, he hasn't done much of anything, but nothing really bad. What would you do, Mom?_ Frisk sits in silence until she makes his choice.

Frisk stands, and catches up to Sans. Following him towards whatever destination that will 'chill him out'. Sans takes him on a divergent path away from Snowdin Town, and they arrive in a large opening surrounded by snowy trees. It is here where they arrive at the right place at the wrong time. "An ice cream cart?" Frisk says, baffled at Sans' proposed solution.

"Of course! It's the perfect weather for Nice Cream. It's the frozen treat that warms your heart. Now only 15 G," The blue rabbit monster says to the two of them. Luckily for Frisk, Toriel gave him what he assumed to be monster currency. Not a lot, but enough to get him through the Underground. They hand the monster merchant the money and receive their frozen treats.

Frisk examines the Nice Cream cone in his hand. It resembles a normal cone of ice cream, but the bizarre blue coloring and shine tells him its far from normal. He approaches the treat with hesitation, not eager to get any colder than he already is. He holds the treat in front of his mouth. The memories of candy and pasta make his tongue afraid to emerge. Frisk opens his jaws, acting like a dentist is standing over him to perform an anesthesia-free root canal, to take a taste.

That is when everything changes.

"So how does it taste, kid?" Frisk does not hear Sans' words and he cannot speak; forgetting everything except himself and this frozen treat. His taste buds release a chorus of triumphant cheers as they taste a piece of paradise reserved for him. The flavor is like a warm and exotic fruit shake in ice cream form, with the perfect amount of foam, fluidity, and rich thickness. There is a strong hint of chocolate that Frisk finds different, but accepts.

Unable to help himself, Frisk devours the Nice Cream within seconds, savoring and relishing every contact on his tongue like they are drips of precious gold. It sinks down his throat like a creamy ball of cool flames that flows across his being to melt away all his worries. Before he knows it, the treat is gone and he is left with the drops he suckles off his fingers. Finished, Frisk gasps in pleasure as if a rainbow of satisfaction oozes out of his mouth.

"It's the most amazing, most delicious, most bestest thing that I've ever had! What flavor was that!?" Frisk asks as Sans holds him back from tackling the monster merchant.

"Always glad to have another satisfied customer. Oh, and it doesn't have a single flavor; it's different for each person that eats it. That's why it's called Nice Cream, because it always leaves you nicer after you eat it. Well, thanks for the business; until next time," The rabbit monster says as he pushes the cart away to Frisk's disappointment. It takes half a second for the Nice Cream cone with Sans to steal his attention and Frisk hopes skeletons do not need calcium for their bones.

"You know, I actually thought about opening up a shop of my own. Sell all kinds of stuff, and I'm pretty big boned already. Don't suppose you know anyone who's interested?" Frisk nods frantically as Sans keeps him at arm's length away with his hand and holds the nice cream away from Frisk's grasping arms.

"That's Great! It's only 50000 G." Frisk collapses to the ground as the price point slices his ears.

"But for today, I'll give ya a-once-in-a-lifetime discount, that is, if you agree to have a civil cone-versation." Finding it impossible to resist the offer, Frisk raises to shake Sans hand and seals the deal. Sans hands the Nice Cream to Frisk's joy and he finishes it under a minute, savoring every lick and sweet taste.

"Alright, we can talk. There are things I would like to ask you, too. Be nice to finally get some answers," Frisk says.

"Before we go too far, I gotta ask you, kid: what do you think about puzzles?" The question takes Frisk off-guard.

"I've always loved puzzles. On the surface, I spent most of my free time solving them: word searches, Sudoku, and crossword. They're just something about them that's so fun to solve and it always makes me feel a little smarter when I'm done with them. Even when I can't beat them, it's just nice to do them."

"That's a nice answer, Kid. You may like it or not, but a lot of monsters would give ya the same answer. We make them to keep our stuff safe and to have fun when we solve them. Whenever we make them, we have to be careful, because the last thing we want is for someone to get hurt. They're just a-maze-ing, don't ya think."

"I guess, but why are you telling me all this?" Frisk asks, as the puzzles he encountered could be best described as a mixed bag at best so far.

"I'm telling ya this, Frisk, because that's how you know Paps is innocent. He could never hurt someone with something he loves. It's not in the nature for a real monster puzzle to be dangerous to anyone. It just ain't in our bones." Sans says as Frisk rolls his eyes as he tries to find his point.

"Oh yeah, those puzzles sure were harmless. Couldn't hurt a fly."

"Exactly my point; glad to know we're eye to eye. But really think about those puzzles for a second. I'll agree with ya that the first two were annoying, but were they actually dangerous? If Paps really wanted to get ya, he could have made them real bad, but he didn't."

"Of course they… were?" Frisk reassesses the puzzles with a calmer mind, and must admit that Sans does have a point. While the spikes were non-responsive and the electric shocks stung, both were miles away from lethal. Besides the final puzzle, his life was never truly endangered.

"Oh, and before you ask, kid, Paps did turn off the last puzzle. Once he makes his choice, it takes a lot of talking to get him to change his mind. You could call him thick-skulled, if ya liked."

"Than what really happened with that last puzzle?" Frisk asks, willing to entertain this notion and curious to know the truth.

"I'll be honest, kid, I don't know yet. But I promise I'll find out; like I said, I got my eye socket on ya. All I know now is one thing. Whatever happened, it ain't a monster that did it to ya."

_But what else is there besides monsters and humans? I don't think Amy had anything to do with this. They would have noticed a second human running around._ Frisk thought as his feelings become mixed. He cannot deny his anger has lessened as reason reasserts itself, but at the same time his fear resurges as this mysterious culprit and scheme looms in the rear of his mind.

"Thanks, Sans, I do feel a little better, and now I got another reason to leave the Underground," Frisk says as his mind wanders back to Amy and her words. "Before that, there's something I need to know. What do you know about the Barrier, Sans?" Sans remains quiet for a few moments as he stares at the ceiling.

"So you know about the barrier. Yeah, there might be a mountain sitting on top of us, but the coal-hard truth is, it's the wall we can't see keeps us trapped down here. Sorry for not telling ya sooner, kid. Didn't want to spoil the fun." Sans says in a low voice. The revelation hits Frisk like a snowball wrapped around a rock, painful, but soft and expected.

"So it is true. She was telling me the truth," Frisk's heart sinks out of his shoes and buries itself beneath the ground. Frisk hoped Amy was lying or telling him half-truths. He does his best to focus on this supposed weak spot, but even now, his mother fades away in the distance, never to be seen again. His eyes cannot bare the sight of the ceiling, burying him under heaps of distress and misery, his head sinks towards the ground.

"Well, if you could leave, I guess you monsters would have done it by now. Guess that explains why no one on the surface knows about this place." Frisk says in a voice normally reserved for a coroner. Frisk goes still as a statue. He likely would have remained like that forever until Sans pats his back.

"Kid, don't quarry and crumble under hard pressure on me now."

"Thanks for trying Sans. But I'm not in a mood for puns right about now."

"Oh, come on, kid, look at the bright side. Sure, you might be trapped down here with us for the rest of your life, but you got a clean slate." Frisk smirks but it does little to uplift his diminished spirits.

"Ore maybe you could take this easy, you know, one step stone at a time." Frisk chokes to contain the chuckle as the puns remind him of Toriel. "Well, kid, if you really want to gravel around, go ahead. No need to be so jaded on my account."

"Oh, don't you worry Sans, I plan to take all of this for granite." They share a brief but fleeting chuckle.

"Listen, kid, I know this must have been tough to hear, but that doesn't mean times have to be tough. Once we work things out with Paps, I'm sure we can find a way to accommodate you." Sans holds onto Frisk's shoulder. Frisk appreciates the stability he gives him in this turbulent storm that consumes his mind and future.

"I appreciate the offer, Sans, but I'm not going to let the barrier stop me from going back to the surface." Frisk gazes at the ceiling, his mind flaring with the possibilities of reaching the other side; even if they are fleeting.

"If that's what you really want to do kid. Don't let me stop ya, but we've tried everything to break the Barrier, and we wouldn't be having this conversation if any of it actually worked. The King has a plan, but only he and the royal guards know, and it's been a long time since he promised us our freedom," Sans says as he crosses his arms and lays down. "Might as well take a knee, sit back and relax. You'll drive yourself crazy if all you do is try to solve an unsolvable puzzle."

_Maybe a monster isn't enough, but a human might be_ , Frisk thought as he joins Sans on the ground.

"Enlighten me, kid. What's so bright and shiny up there that you gotta leave a dark and dank place like this behind?"

"Nothing too complicated… I want to go back home and get back to mo- my family. They're probably worried sick about me right now." Frisk says as fast as he can to avoid suspicion.

"And how far are ya willing to go to get back to them?"

"To the ends of the world and back Sans. I just have to get back to the surface." Frisk says with confidence.

"Okay, so what's the real reason you need to get back to the surface?" Sans asks to Frisk's surprise.

"Sans!" Frisk exclaims.

"Don't mean to pry, kid, but you're gonna have try better if you wanna sneak something past me. I don't know what goes on the Surface. But no one climbs a mountain unless they got a reason." Sans says and Frisk realizes he pushed himself into this corner.

"Fine. I came to Ebbott searching for someone special. There was a town where other humans told me people have disappeared on Mt. Ebbott. I thought one of them might have been who I was searching for. Instead, I found all of you monsters instead. If I'm going to find them, I have to get back to the surface." Frisk pauses as he stands to gaze at the black and impregnable ceiling above them.

"It's the only way, Sans. Even if this 'capture the human' rule wasn't a thing, I couldn't stay down here. There's no way I could be happy trapped underground… without her. It's impossible," Frisk says, too lost in his solemn world to know what words he is saying.

"I don't know about impossible. I mean I don't doubt ya and I can see this is important, but we monsters have managed to find ways to be happy down here. As long as you don't cause any trouble, I'm sure you can be happy."

"Are you trying to say that I'm trouble, Sans?" Frisk asks with a smirk.

"Maybe. Hope I don't have to find out what kind of trouble you can pull off, kid." They both share a quick chuckle together.

"But seriously, down in Snowdin town, monsters are pretty laid back. I think you could fit in: a place to call home, some friends to make and spend time with, some bad jokes and good food. Sounds like a good time to me. And Paps is in charge of guarding everyone in Snowdin; do that, and he'll never have to fight you. Do you have to reach the ending that much?" Sans' words leave Frisk at an impasse.

His answer and direction is clear, but he cannot deny small tugs that keep him in place. There are vines of greenery and boney fingers from the grave he is desperate to escape from, but there is also a leathery wing and purple robe carrying him on his journey.

"That's a nice idea, Sans, but while you monsters might have given up, I can't do the same. Even if the most impossible thing in the world, I have to try."

_Besides, I can't let her have the last laugh._ Frisk thought as Amy lingers in his mind.

"Why is that, kid? Spell it out for me."

"It's hard to explain, Sans. It's this feeling, this feeling that won't let me stop. Ever since I started this journey, it's been there, following me with every step I take. Whenever things get hard and rough, it's what pushes me to keep moving forward and not looking back," Frisk explains.

"Well, I wouldn't know anything about a feeling like that, kid. But it's something else you and Paps got in common," Sans says and it does leave Frisk with a new puzzle to solve.

"But what does Papyrus want from me? What does he get out of this?" Frisk asks with a stern look, one that turns upside down when Sans shoots an inquisitive look.

"What does Paps want? He's made that real clear if you ask me. Crystal clear, kid. If you have to ask now, than you haven't been paying attention," Sans says and Frisk groans.

"Ahh! You mean the royal guard thing! How does that solve my problem? I need to know the answer, Sans."

"Well, kid, if you're really asking me? I'd say the answer is in those hands of yours. Just as long as you use them right... Like me." Frisk balls his fists into his eyes, as if to keep the frustration from spilling out of his skull as it fills him like a thick and heavy sludge.

"I don't know what to do. I mean, I need to get past Papyrus, but I don't want to fight him, either. I promised I would find a way out without hurting anyone. I haven't done it yet and I don't want to start now," Frisk says.

_But he is so big and strong and scary. Would mercy even work on him? Do I even want to find out?_ Frisk thought as his confrontation with Papyrus seems more inevitable than ever before.

"Not hurting anyone; that sounds like a plan to me. Okay, kid, let me snow you a few things." Sans departs and Frisk follows, curious to know where this is going. Sans raises his hand and the snow glows with a bright blue light. To Frisk's utter amazement, the snow rises off of the ground, following the movements of his hands, where it collides together to form several medium sized balls of snow. Frisk grabs his jaw and eyes to keep them from falling to the ground at this spectacular sight.

"Oh my gosh! That was the coolest thing I've ever seen in my whole life! How did you do that without touching the snow?!" Frisk says at a million miles per hour.

"Blue Magic, kid, it's my specialty. Whatever glows blue, I can make it go or not go." Sans says and rubs his boney fingers together.

"Whatever glows blue...?!"Frisk's mind snaps back to the moment where gravity decided to take a vacation during the gauntlet of deadly terror.

"What's the matter, kid? Didn't I tell ya I wasn't that lazy?"

"Sans, I'm so sorry... I had no idea. If it wasn't for you... I would be... I would be…! Thank you so much." Frisk looks to Sans like a prophet from the land of Nice Cream.

"Ah, don't beat yourself up, kid. I think you've had enough for one day." Frisk smirks as a soft chuckle escapes his lips. Knowing what Sans did for him; it leaves him helpless against the tides of guilt.

"I didn't know," Frisk says.

"You're right about that. So, would you like to know more?" Frisk rapidly nods and claps his hands together.

"Of course! I can't believe it! Real magic!" Frisk says until the train in his mind derails when a small red heart appears floating in front of his chest. "Agh! What is that thing?!" Frisk raises his fist to smack the heart away. He is stopped by Sans, who restrains his arm.

"Whoa, hold your horses! You don't want to hurt yourself, do ya, Kid?"

"Hurt myself?" Frisk is full of confusion.

"Yeah, Kid, that's your Soul. The culmination of your entire being. Everything that makes you Frisk is in that little thing. I know it doesn't seem like much, but without it, you'd be a real pile of bones. So don't treat it like your soles." Sans points to the small red heart.

"Oh." Frisk raises his hands to cup around his soul with stars in his eyes. "Wow..."

It gives off a powerful red glow that glistens in the darkness of Snowdin Forest, like a dwarf star in the blackness of his pupils. It emanates warmth like a gentle but powerful flame, engulfing Frisk in a shield of heat that guards him from the cold forest. All of that becomes a distant afterthought to something else about his soul: A living & breathing presence, an indescribable feeling of life and power. One so finite and fragile and yet boundless and indestructible at the same time.

"Why are you showing me this?" Frisk says as he cannot tear his sight away from himself, like some previously undiscovered wonder of the world that has never been witnessed by the eyes of man.

"Because, kid. A Soul is what you need to pull off magic, and if you're going to face my brother, you best know what you're getting into."

"But where is magic?" Frisk asks.

"Everywhere Kid!" Sans speaks with a spin and outstretched arms. "Magic is all around us and inside of us, even if you can't see it; it's there. Waiting to play a knock-knock joke and for ya to open the door so it can come inside." Frisk stares as hard as he can, but does not see anything at all. He grimaces and grunts to exert something, but has no idea what he is doing as he interacts with the nothingness surrounding him.

"But humans can't do magic. I mean, I guess we have magic shows and wizards, but it's all fake." Frisk says, any magic he's seen up until the Underground being illusions to trick simple minds into believing things that aren't true. Even so called human magicians are little more than entertainers at best and con artists at worst.

"Well, that's weird. I can't help ya there, kid. Aside from you, I've never met a human, so this is all news to me. But all monsters can pull off Magic, our souls are practically made out of the stuff." Another soul appears before Sans' rib cage, albeit turned upside down and pure white in its color.

"You see kid, every monster gets magic from their soul, this happens in one of two ways. Our souls can absorb magic from the world around us and since magic is one of the ingredients for our souls, we can even make magic all on our own. Maybe you humans have to get magic from somewhere else."

"I guess, got no idea how to do that, but can you tell me a little bit more?"

"Sure, we take raw magic and can change it into anything we need depending on the situation. Course it's our souls so we gotta be careful, can't go using too much otherwise we'll run out. The soul is like a magic battery, it needs to recharge if you use it a lot." Sans says and Frisk is spellbound.

"Don't get too excited kid, you can't just use magic willy nilly. Don't forget the battery is literally you, that's a battery you don't want to abuse. You gotta know what you're doing and take real good care of your soul."

"And how do I do that?" Frisk asks.

"I'd say you're doing a good job already kid. Being nice, not hurting anyone, making friends with other people, and connecting your souls together. Can't get any better than that." Sans says with a wide grin and Frisk looks in disbelief. "Seriously, I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true. The nicer you are, the nicer your soul will be, and the stronger your magic will be too."

_Well if that's true, I guess that explains why no one on the surface can use magic._ Frisk thought. _Then again, it should be no problem for you Mom._

"Now, taking magic from your soul ain't easy and changing it into what you need is a lot harder. And if you don't have enough, it won't work. It takes a lot of brains and muscle to get magic to do what you want it to do."

"Brains and muscle? Doesn't seem like your style Sans."

"Hey, I wasn't always lazy; and besides, you'd be surprised what a bag of bones like me can do. Once you get the hang of things, you can get real... creative with magic."

"You can make stuff," a bone materializes and floats above Sans' hand.

"You can enhance stuff," the white bone changes to a pale blue along with his soul.

"And once that's done, the only limit is your imagination," the bones falls and phases through Sans' hand before he grabs it with his other hand, and he banishes it back to oblivion. Frisk spends the entire demonstration staring with stars in his eyes.

"Wow, you guys can do anything...!" Frisk says with excitement.

_Wait a sec, oh my gosh they can do everything! I don't stand a chance!_ Frisk thought as many no win scenarios flood his mind.

"Not necessarily; limits are built into our soul, and what we can do depends on what we're made out of and who we are as people. For example, me and Paps can summon bones, but every monster has their own special trick up their sleeves. The hardest trick of them all is changing your soul to do different virtues of magic. Even I'm not that good."

"Wow, sounds easy and hard at the same time. What comes next?" Frisk asks, eager and excited to learn the next step in Magic, a lesson no other human knows or has known in centuries. Frisk can hardly contain himself as he breathlessly awaits the next sentence, the very next word from Sans.

"What comes next…?" Sans raises his hand which illuminates the snow with a hazy blue light. The snow rises up into the air where it collides together, following the movements of his boney hands, to form a snowy bench. "…is that you have to get these balls into that hole." Sans points to a distant hole dug in the ground while he sits on his newly assembled bench of snow. Frisk is shocked at this development.

"And how is that going to teach me about magic?" Frisk asks in disbelief.

"Trust me, it'll teach you everything you need to know about magic." Frisk sends Sans an "are you for real" look as the skeleton relaxes with a grinning smile. He remembers he shouldn't expect anything less from a pile of lazy bones.

"Seriously, kid, no sensory system. Be a skeleton and you'll never look back." Sans winks his eyes as he lies on the snow bench, undisturbed by the cold.

Frisk concedes and grabs a ball from the pile Sans conjured and places it upon the ground. With the lack of any path to use and the thick ground, the run is difficult as Frisk struggles to control the ball. As the snowy ground fights back or his fingers need a break from the chilly touch. Yet Frisk does not give up, and after a great deal of effort and time, a purple flag appears.

"I won't lie to ya, kid, you got a long and hard road ahead of ya. It goes in one direction, but it ain't straight. But as long as you're always able and willing to find a way, you'll make it through. Just don't get a big head; sometimes you gotta know when to quit in order to get ahead. That's how you get to persevere. Purple magic lets monsters get to where they need to go, makes our magic adaptable."

Frisk takes in his words, along with another snowball. This time he rolls it across the ground in a slow and delicate manner, taking the time to push the ball through rough patches when it does not want to move. The jagged path he left behind eases the process, but it takes time and the snowball shrinks to a fraction of its former size. Frisk gets the ball into the hole.

A cyan flag rises from the hole.

"Well, you got patience, kid. You're willing to give problems the time they need before you take them on. That's what we call Cyan magic, and you know what they say, the best defense is a better defense. Standstill and nothing will be able to touch ya. My kind of magic. You can think of it like stop signs, but blue. When you see a blue stop sign, just hold still and you'll be fine. But don't stay in once place forever; otherwise you'll never get anywhere."

Frisk gathers another snowball. With a path cleared from the prior attempts, this run is faster and accurate. Frisk brings the snowball to the hole in under a minute.

"Nice moves you got there, kid." Before the snowball could fall, Sans' words send a chill up his spine. Frisk hesitates from the sensation, but it passes as quickly as it occurs. Frisk drops the ball into the hole, and an orange flag emerges from the hole. "Could use some work at the finish line, kid. But with bravery, you can take on anything coming for ya. As long as you're willing to accept the consequences, fear won't be able to hold ya back from doing what needs to be done."

"I'm not scared!" Frisk proclaims.

"Didn't say you were, kid, and that's not what I meant. It's not about being fearless; it's about being not scared to do the things you have to do. Even if it's dangerous, you're still willing to face the odds. That's how orange magic works; it lets magic go on the offense. But if you're too reckless; you won't know what you're hurting till it's too late." Frisk takes note of Sans' words as he repeats the process.

The next few attempts frustrate Frisk as they produce purple, cyan, or orange flags with no change or variation. Sans provides instructions on how to handle the snowball to produce a different result. Frisk plays this round quick, never losing contact with the ball.

A dark blue flag emerges.

"Blue for integrity. That's my favorite color. As long as you can stand your ground, you can use blue magic to make big moves on everything and everyone else around ya. Stay true to yourself and you'll have no problems here. Just don't get too full of yourself or you'll break more than just your word. Know where you stand, kid?"

"Of course I do," Frisk staggers and slides across the snowy icy ground to the start point. With the next ball, Frisk gently moves the ball in a slow and steady manner, taking special care of the snowball the entire time until he reaches the hole. A Green flag appears.

"Well, aren't you a kind soul. Green is a nice color, kid, and as long as you stay kind, you'll be able to help anyone else and yourself. A lot of folks sleep on Green Magic, but you can't ask for a better back up when things are down; it can support you and anyone else you wanna help when you don't have anything else. I don't know what your favorite color is, kid, but green is the best option for down here if you really want to make progress."

"I always liked green."

"Good to hear kid."

Finally, Frisk moves the snowball with an accurate, controlled, and steady pace behind his hands. A Yellow flag comes out.

"They say Justice is blind, kid. But as long as your heart is in the right place and you ain't yellow to do the just thing, then you'll have the power to protect yourself and every one else you care about too. Just keep a level head; otherwise you'll lose sight of what really matters. Because Yellow magic will let you channel all the power you got in your soul. And that's all I got for ya Kid." Frisk leaves to rejoin Sans, noticing one final snowball.

"Mind if I get rid of this one?"

"Go ahead, kid. I got all the time in the world." With his approval, Frisk disposes of the final snowball. With no instruction from Sans and plenty of experience, he approaches his final run in his own way. He moves the snowball in the most expedient and precise manner, but also in the most delicate manner he can muster. In the end, Frisk puts more of himself into this run than any previous one.

_Oh, my favorite color! It's so pretty,_ Frisk thought as the flag appears. "Hey, Sans. What does the red color mean for magic?"

"Nothing special at all, kid. Now come on, I got your final lesson over here." Frisk joins Sans as he leaves the red flag behind. He follows the skeleton until Sans stops him and takes an opposite position to Frisk on the snowy field between them. The space is not big, but large enough that Frisk would have to sprint to reach him.

"What's this lesson?"

"Everything you need to know about fighting monsters." A single bone rises up from out of the ground. It reaches into the sky by a clear foot and it approaches Frisk at a speed so slow that it should arrive the day after tomorrow. Frisk looks on with a mixture of confusion and surprise at Sans' attack.

"Is that really it?"

"Hey kid I'm giving it my all." Sans says as the bones reaches Frisk, which he steps over it with zero difficulty.

"Nice move, kid. Here, see if you can handle these old bones." This time, two bones emerge and make their approach towards Frisk.

"Guess I should have expected more from a bonehead like you, Sans." Frisk effortlessly dodges the bones.

"Oh, you wanted more. Try to give these a catch." Sans materializes cyan bones in his hands. He throws them through the air. Frisk flinches from the approach of the bones, before remembering blue stop signs. Frisk stops to hold his position, and the bones harmlessly pass through his body. While Frisk is taken off guard by the intangibility of the bones, he is amazed by the feat.

"Wow, that's so cool! I can't believe that I just did that! Do it again!" Sans summons a bone and throws it at Frisk. Frisk remains still when the bone hits him with the thud of a softball. He rubs his forehead to soothe the pain. When Frisk examines the bone, he sees that it's white.

"Gotta pay attention to what's coming, kid; that way, you know what to do." Sans summons more bones and tosses them at Frisk. This time Frisk takes note of the bones and studies them for color. He moves swiftly to dodge the white bones while holding still to allow the cyan bones to harmlessly pass through him.

_Wow, I didn't think it would be this easy_ , Frisk thought as he fights Sans, and a piece of him cannot believe this is happening.

"Get the picture, Kid? I ain't made of bones," Sans jests.

"Yeah, I got it nowww…!" Frisk slips to the ground from stepping on a bone. It didn't hurt, but he feels wounded for overlooking such a simple trick. When he lifts his head up, he sees Sans standing over him with a hand reaching out to him.

"Need a hand, kid?" Frisk studies Sans' hand for a few moments.

The fear he has come to expect from the skeleton's presence returns. An icy chill and a crawling sensation wed together, like bugs with feet of ice crawling up his back. A feeling that emerges from a piece deep within him. Despite the physical and mental strain holding him back, Frisk fights through the hesitation to grab Sans' hand. He emerges without an ounce of anger or fear, and with a gentle grin on his face to match Sans.

"Thanks, Sans. I mean that for everything. I do feel a lot better now."

"No problem, I really hope you learned something today, Kid."

"I think I really did."

"Good. But let me just tell you one last thing. I know I can't stop you from facing Paps, but let me give you one piece of advice on fighting him."

"Sure, what it is?"

"Don't." Frisk is surprised as Sans' grip tightens on his hand. Not enough to cause any pain, but enough to make the point clear as day. "After all, we want have to a good time, don't we?"

"Yeah, of course," Frisk says with his nerves standing on end. Sans' words sucker punch him more than any of his actual attacks. He holds his breath, and for a moment, he wonders what Sans will do next. A piece of him is ready for anything.

"Nice to know we have an understanding. Well, my break is over. I better get moving. Snowdin Town ain't far from here. Hope to see ya soon." With that Sans makes his leave as Frisk remains behind, his hand holding onto empty air.

_Okay that was different…_ Frisk thought as he shakes his head, looking at a leaving Sans with a cautious eye. _He might be lazy, but he really does care about his brother. I guess I can get that. But hey, magic is real. Wish humans could do magic... or maybe we can?_ Frisk thought and he raises his voice to Sans.

"Sans, wait, can I ask you one last thing?" Sans stops and turns to face Frisk.

"Make it fast, kid. If I'm late for my shift, nothing bad will happen to me."

"I was wondering, is it possible for a human to hide in the underground without any monster knowing about it?" A few moments of silence pass until Sans speaks.

"Now why would you ask that, kid?"

"Gotta know in case my barrier plan doesn't pan out," Frisk says with a fake laugh. "So could a human hideaway in the Underground?"

"I don't think so. That can't happen, we would know about another human for sure. But thanks for asking, kid." Sans departs, faster this time before Frisk can follow up with more questions.

_Okay, Amy you keep getting weirder, just like this whole place. I'll have to deal with her later, if there is a later._ Frisk thought as he turns around and returns to the path to Snowdin Town. There is one path to follow, two options to take, but a skeleton waiting for him at every end.


	15. Chapter 15: Stranger in Snowdin Town

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 15

* * *

Snowdin Town. A little place in a big and empty frozen forest.

From this distance, Frisk cannot witness a single soul in the silent empty streets. Structures of various sizes and shapes fill his vision, but there is no indication to what purpose they serve or to who occupies them. All Frisk knows for certain is that monsters will be waiting for him to enter, and any trek around the town will return him to the unforgiving landscape and harsh climate of Snowdin Forest.

Frisk crouches behind lush bushes, trapped in between a town and many hard places.

 _Sans said they were really laid back and Maribel is here somewhere. But so is Papyrus... waiting for me._ Frisk gulps, unable to escape the urge that these bushes will be his only refuge from this monster settlement.

"If only Papyrus could leave town, but I guess he would have no-body to go with." Frisk says.

"Yo, that's a good one," a voice says. Frisk flinches and falls, his heart skipping a beat or two as he recovers and meets the voice's source.

"Hey dude, what you doing? Playing hide n seek or something?" A young monster with no arms says. Their body is yellow from head to toe with brown stripes going across their torso and legs at random intervals. They have small horns protruding from their head and back. While he stares with a combination of dread and shock, they wear a goofy smile stretched across their face.

"You okay, dude? You look kind of spooked. I didn't mean to jump ya like that."

"I'm fine! And yeah… I-I-I'm playing hide n seek!"

"Really?! Oh, I'm so sorry, dude. I didn't mean to throw off your game. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone I spotted ya. Just promise me you won't tell my parents if you see them. They'll ground me for life if they knew I snuck out."

"Sure, no problem." Frisk breathes a massive sigh of relief inside his head.

"Appreciate it, dude. I'm looking for someone too. Wish me luck!" The young monster scurries before tripping onto their face. After regaining their stance, they run into town with hardly a care in the Underground.

"Yeah, the biggest game of Hide n Seek in the whole wide world. But did they really not notice me? Ummm… I wonder?" Frisk casts his concerns away for the moment and enters Snowdin Town. The closer Frisk gets the heavier and smaller his steps become, yet he continues towards his destination. A town filled with monsters eager to capture a human…

Frisk is filled with Determination.

Upon closer inspection there is not much to the town, it consists of a single street and line of commercial buildings down the center with many homes scattered around in all directions. Thanks to the forest, log cabins are the preferred choice and their snow-covered roofs give them a festive touch. However, Frisk notices how even the smallest of human towns leave this one little as more than a humble dwarf.

It stands in contrast to those who call Snowdin home. Like an alarm clock shattering a restful slumber, the town awakes as monsters emerge from their homes to start their day. Monsters of all shapes and sizes travel into the street and proceed to gather together in a growing crowd.

There are many mammal monsters such as moose, mice, wolves, rabbits, and dogs fit with thick and heavy fur coats to stay warm in this perpetual winter. Some stand out by being bird or lizard creatures that clung tightly to their winter gear. Strangest of all, a family of rocks rolls across the ground under their violation as they join the assembly. They are all different, but all bold enough to endure or enjoy the beautiful serene frozen silence of Snowdin Forest.

To Frisk's surprise, there are no surprises. There are no guards to hunt him, no puzzles to trap him, and no angry lynch mob to chase him down in the name of King Asgore. A piece of him is disappointed. Instead, he is greeted by the sight of a wide welcome banner sign. He hopes to keep it that way.

Frisk makes his way to the streets opposite side, where he hides behind a small worn wooden fence. It conceals him well enough, but this monster meeting will not last forever, and the fence travels so far before it can no longer conceal him. Not helping is that the buildings are packed together so tightly there is no alley to make a quick getaway.

 _Okay, this is different. Is this some kind of ambush or something? No way it's this easy._ Frisk thought and crawls behind the fence, hoping every single monster of Snowdin Town will be at this meeting, and that none will have curious eyes. The town's residents seem preoccupied with this gathering to notice his presence. Frisk keeps a comfortable distance from the crowd, but their growing conversations makes them difficult to ignore. The air fills with hushes and shushes as a large bear monster in a heavyset red sweater takes center stage.

"Hello friends and neighbors, I know how bothersome these meetings are, but I thank all of you for taking time out of your day to be here. I would love to give all of you a great big bear hug." The bear monster says in an over the top fashion to a sea of silence broken by the occasional groan or yawn.

"Haha. Well, today, we have spectacular and ground breaking news sure to bring excitement and smiles to all of our faces. I know I can bearly contain myself." The bear monster says to a silence so strong a soft cough could be heard. With a frown the bear takes papers from a rabbit monster assistant.

"Alright then, let us see what is in the news for this past week. And there is..." The bear bangs his paws against his chest to create an artificial drum roll. "…nothing of interest to report."

"Now that's funny," a voice in the crowd says accompanied by a few fleeting chuckles.

"Okay, that was a wash. But we have the weather report. There's always something to say about that weather, isn't there? We may have to get our bear essentials ready." His words fall on deaf ears again.

 _What is it with monsters and puns? I feel sorry for this guy_. Frisk crawls behind the wooden fence. He reaches the end of the fence and coverage. The monsters are busy, but all it takes is one stray eye for his cover to be blown, and this meeting could end at any moment. Frisk is unable to move, but grits his teeth, knowing staying is not an option.

"The forecast reads snow and cold with more snow and cold on the way. I don't know about you all, but that sounds unbearable to me." The bear monster delivers as best as he can to an excited and happy audience that exists solely within his mind.

"Well, no one can say I don't try. Before we leave, let's wrap things up..." Those words struck Frisk like a lightning bolt as he throws caution to the wind and crawls into the opening.

"As a reminder, the anniversary festival is in three days. All of you are welcome to attend and bring your own dish. Some smiles would be nice too, but I guess we can't have nice things. If you're lost or in trouble, go talk to our resident skeletons, Sans and Papyrus." A few groans sound at the end, definitively towards the latter as opposed to the former.

"Who, unfortunately, were not able to join us on this lovely morning." There are a few hollow cheers and some monsters leave to start their day.

"They'll tell a fish lady, and she'll fix everything for ya. But that's politics, I guess. I suppose that is...! Oh, my apologies, everyone; there is one piece of news!" His words regain their attention. "We have a new visitor in town!" The bear monster points behind the crowd.

They turn around to spot Frisk on his knees and elbows with a face redder than his soul and the biggest eyes of his life. "No."

The town grows a hundred times larger and millions of eyes emerge to stare upon him. Their empty appendages become filled with pitchforks, torches, and a handful of machine guns; all of them ready to finish him. The fence wraps around him, leaving no way for him to escape. Frisk never liked being the center of attention on the Surface. Stage fright has always buried him under a mountain of expectations. But here in the Underground and in this moment, he wonders if he will ever move again, at least without a monster dragging him to his end.

"Come along, new friend; I've never seen you before, and I know everyone in town. Introduce yourself!" The bear monster shouts to Frisk over the crowd.

 _No! No! No! This is so bad! I can't believe this is happening. Now they're going to capture me and hurt me. Even worse, trap me and... and... wait, why am I still here?_ Frisk wonders why he is not at the bottom of a massive monster dog-pile. When he opens his eyes, he notices none of the monsters have moved as they await him.

"Come along, child, there's no reason to be afraid." The bear monster invites him to his side.

"I don't know if I want to." Frisk whispers to himself, wishing he could be anywhere else but here.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

"Okay, fine I'll do it!" Frisk approaches the crowd of monsters like an appointment with the gallows.

The crowd creates a passageway for Frisk to reach the bear monster and the center of attention. He forces himself to walk at a normal pace and plasters an awkward smile to avoid suspicion. When Frisk reaches the bear monster's side, he drops a heavy and warm paw on his back like a brick. Not that Frisk notices under the weight of so much attention from the crowd of monsters. "So, new friend, tell us: what's your name?"

"Frisk."

"Nice to meet you, Frisk. What brings you to Snowdin today?"

"Traveling."

"Traveling all on your own and at your age too! Wow, aren't you all big and grown up Frisk. Where'd you headed?"

"Home."

"I can tell that you're a kid of few words. You'll fit in just fine around here Frisk." The bear monster says, disappointed. "And what do you think of our little town, Frisk?"

"Don't know. First time here."

"First time in Snowdin! You don't say. Wow, this must be such an exciting day for you."

"Oh, I can't think of a more exciting day than today," Frisk says with a painful grin.

 _Please end!_ Frisk thought.

"Well, Frisk, I hope you find a happy and warm welcome courtesy from everyone in Snowdin."

"Yes. I can tell from everyone's faces that you are all... all..." Frisk pauses to gaze upon the faces assembled in front of him.

They are made of stone; ones that have not broken in days, weeks, or perhaps longer. Longing for hope or at least a return to their beds with their baggy reddened eyes. There is a wide variety of disinterest, apathy, exhaustion, and the few looks of content seem far from genuine. It is enough to drive away the dread and fear from Frisk's heart.

"…Look happy to see me. Weird; normally, I can't stand to face my problems whenever I look in a mirror," Frisk says, and some of the monsters chuckle or chisel small smiles on their faces.

"Oh, no! What kind of problems could you possibly have, Frisk? Maybe we could help you."

"Nothing too much. Just being held hostage by a captive audience." He comments as the crowd snickers and chuckle more noticeably this time.

"Ah, don't be that way, kid. We all want to be here, of course."

"I don't know about that. Seems like a lot of us are here for the same reason. Resisting a Rest." The monster crowds laugh more loudly this time and even the bear monster smiles.

"Alright, Frisk. Thanks a lot for the laughs. I almost forgot what that sounded like. That's enough talk from you,"

"Really? I can't talk anymore? I mean, we're already trapped here together. At least let me finish my sentence, I just hope it isn't for life." The monsters cannot contain themselves as they laugh and smile, a few even clap their various appendages together. Frisk finds himself in a whole new world and completely forgets where he is and who his audience is. The bear takes Frisk aside for a quick word.

"Thank you so much, Kid. I haven't heard or seen something like this in a long time. I know I said it already, but thanks for stopping in Snowdin. I hope you enjoy your stay with us." Frisk smiles as he finds himself strangely comfortable in front of the talking bear monster.

"Oh, I can't stay. I'm too busy running for my life," Frisk says in the most straightforward manner possible.

"Enough with the jokes, Frisk. You've done more than enough already. Oh, that reminds me of something." The bear leaves Frisk to address the crowd one last time.

_Really wish I was joking... Or maybe I don't have to. This doesn't seem too bad. Maybe I was wrong and-_

"Oh, one last thing everyone! A notice from King Fluffybuns himself. Remember; if you spot any humans, do not approach them. Report them. Remember, they will not show mercy and they will fight you without a second thought. Alert the Royal Guard; they are trained to deal with human invaders. That's it, thank you for coming and lets give a warm goodbye to... Wait, where did he go?"

Frisk takes deep and heavy gasps after sprinting down the street to escape the announcement and crowd before any of them could act.

 _Holy cow, that was so close; I can't believe that actually happened! I actually managed to get out of there in one piece. Hopefully, I can say the same about the rest of this town._ Frisk thought as the street fill with monsters. As Frisk scans around him, he notes the absurdity of his situation.

"They really don't know?" None of them seem to register Frisk's presence at all. They give him no attention or give him a happy greeting and acknowledgment. A few recognize him from the meeting and thank him for the laughs, the street fills with faces both new and familiar. While Frisk wants to flee, their acceptance leaves him unsure.

"They don't know." The realization hits Frisk as he walks across the town without worry. He takes in the sights Snowdin has to offer: a "Librarby", a bar and restaurant named Grillby's, an inn, and a bakery. To his pleasure, there is warmth to this monster town that allows him to walk freely, not enough to mask the cold but enough that his arms can hang freely.

A series of multi-color lights flash across his eyes, and bring his attention to an evergreen tree in the town's center. A tree decorated with a wide arrangement of makeshift decorations, from glass balls to glow-in-the-dark crystals of different shapes and colors. There are arts and crafts made by the hands, claws, and talons of monster children. It is a sight of warmth and brightness that brings a smile to Frisk's heart.

"What's with the tree?" Frisk asks.

"Some teens played a nasty prank on a monster while he was sleeping. So we're leaving gifts out to make him or her feel better. But some are also leaving gifts and wishes for other members of the town," A mouse monster says and climbs down from a stepladder dressed in winter gear with a long red scarf. "Like it makes any difference. We all want the same thing, and it's not ever going to happen."

"Come on, Gerry. No need to be so down right now. Especially not for our new guest here," A Fox monster covered in thick red winter gear says as she finishes wrapping the tree in lights.

"Oh, I'm not down; can't you tell by my smile? We all have the same one, after all." The mouse monster points to his face which wears a smile so fake even Maribel would be able to see it.

"Come on, Gerry, I'll treat you to Grillby's. He'll brighten up your day."

"Sure it will. And maybe one day we'll walk out under the real sun." The mouse monster leaves with the fox monster. A rabbit monster leaves a star on the trees top leaps off and approaches Frisk.

"Don't you worry about Gerry and the others, kid. We all know we can't do anything. All we can do is be happy & do what we can to help each other out. After all, Asgore is looking out for all of us down here." The rabbit monster leaves to join their comrades, leaving Frisk alone with the tree

"Yeah, that's exactly what I need. This Asgore guy." The name restores the cold in full force as Frisk shakes in his shoes. Hungry for a distraction, Frisk returns his attention to the evergreen tree. Adorned with bright lights and decorative crafts makes it a pleasant sight for a fine festival.

A small table is left to the side with sheets of paper and a box of color pencils and pens. A message reads: Leave your wishes and gifts behind for that special someone.

"Man, I really wish we had something like this on the surface." Unable to resist temptation, Frisk picks a sheet of paper and handful of pencils.

"Let's see, what should I ask for? Aside from Maribel and Sans, pretty sure the other monsters won't just give me anything. Oh, wait, I know…" Frisk draws a crude doodle picture of himself and a tall older human woman. They smile and hold hands together as an idealistic large house sits in the background sitting atop a perfect green hill with a grinning yellow sun in the sky.

"Perfect!" Frisk smiles at the card until mental panic takes him and he hastily adds horns, white fur, and a purple robe to the woman.

"Better safe than sorry. So, Mom, you get to be a goat. I'm sure that makes sense somewhere down here." Frisk adds his card to the tree. His addition offsets the weight of a branch, causing a few cards to fall.

"Oh no!" Frisk grabs his card and then the others to return them before the snow can ruin them. The combination of the fall and his rapid grasping causes them to unfold and a brief glance is all it takes to read their contents.

Mommy and Daddy really want me to see this place called the surface. I don't why, but that's what they really really want. So I'm going to ask for that too, so that way Mommy and Daddy can be happy.

I've asked for the same thing every year and even if it never comes. I'm gonna do it again. Nothing would make me happier then to look up at the sky and to see anything besides dirt and rock.

I want to have hopes and dreams. But there's a mountain in my way.

It does not take long for Frisk to find a common theme. Even the ones that ask for something else or a more tangible gift will give some wording of the same desire an honorable mention or second place. When Frisk is done, he places the cards back in their proper place.

"They all want the same thing. They all seem so sad and lonely." Frisk drops his head as their sadness weighs heavily upon his head with a frown on his face. As the monsters' sorrows reach his heart, a question comes to mind.

"What happened down here?" Frisk turns to the side. A Librarby stands with orange light shining through the tinted glass. Frisk approaches the structure with curious intent.

The interior of the Librarby, like the town itself, is not big but leaves much to the imagination from the outside. It is a warm room, with its bright lights and a fireplace in the corner. There are two dining tables repurposed for study, with a large centerpiece throw rug in the middle. Aside from the 10 small shelves filled with books, it feels more like another home than anything else. One being indulged by a handful of monsters scattered throughout the room.

These monsters are also unaware of his humanity, allowing Frisk to browse through the selection of books. Frisk learns these books are makeshift collections of journals, reports, and stories of both amateur and professional origin. After a thorough search, there are three books that catch his eye, which he proceeds to read in a corner desk of the room.

"Maybe I can finally find some answers." He opens first book.

The History of the Underground

Long ago, two races ruled over Terra: HUMANS and MONSTERS.  
One day, war broke out between the two races.  
After a long battle, the humans were victorious.  
They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.

Trapped behind the barrier and fearful of further human attacks, we retreated.  
Far, far into the world we walked, until we reached the cavern's end.  
This was our new home, which we named...  
"Home."

"Fearing the humans no longer, we moved out of our old city, HOME.  
We braved harsh cold, damp swampland, and searing heat...  
Until we reached what we now call our capital.  
"NEW HOME."

Addendum: Our King is not very good at making names.

"What?!" His outburst is followed by several monsters shushing him to be silent. "Oh, sorry," Frisk whispers.

 _WHAT! This can't be what happened! Humans can't do magic. We couldn't have done this. There has to be more than just this. Why would we even do such a thing?_ Frisk continues to read, but the rest of the book covers history relating to events and affairs exclusive to the Underground. There are no further details on how or why these events came to be. Frisk places the book away to read the next book.

What to know about Humans & Monsters

While Monsters are mostly made out of Magic, Human Beings are mostly made out of water.

Humans with their physical forms are far stronger than us.

But they will never know the joy of expressing themselves through magic.

They'll never get a bullet pattern birthday card.

Love, Hope, and Compassion...

This is what some say Monster Souls are made out of.

But the absolute nature of the soul is unknown.

After all, Humans have proven that souls do not need these things to exist.

Because we are made of magic, monsters are attuned to their soul.

If a monster does not want to fight, its defenses will weaken.

And the crueler the intentions of our enemies, the more their attacks will hurt us.

Therefore, if a being with a powerful soul struck us... Let us leave it that for now.

Addendum: Monsters Funerals are really cool. Whenever one of us dies, we become dust and we throw that dust onto the person's favorite thing. That way their essence will live on in that thing. Okay is this enough for a full book report now?

Frisk's stomach churns as he reads the words. Feeling relief and unease at the same time. Like eating Toriel's butterscotch pie and Monster candy at the same time.

_Now I know this can't be right. I mean this book says we can't do magic and the other one said we trapped them down here. That doesn't make any sense. Also, because I'm made out of water, that makes me stronger than monsters? I've just been lucky so far, there's no way I'd be able to beat half of these monsters in an actual fight. Even Flowey almost killed me..._

_And this stuff about the Soul. I...I... I mean, I know we're not perfect, but there's no way we can be that bad. But is it real?_ Frisk rubs his chest over his heart. Thanks to Flowey and Sans, Frisk knows he has a soul. But all he feels is the beating of his heart. Frisk pulls the book to the side and takes the final book, the one that he is the most eager to read and complete.

The Answers to Everything You Need to Know

Step 1: It is absolutely imperative that you first boil water in a large pot. While it can be greatly disheartening, the strands of spaghetti must be separated from each other, while they are cooking. But fret not friend, they will all be happily reunited within your tummy.

Addendum #1: Do not forget to add salt to the water, it adds flavor to the spaghetti, that will make your taste buds cheer with delight.

Addendum #2: What are taste buds?

Step 2: This is the most important and vital step of them all! Add the pasta into the boiling water.

Addendum #3: Do not confuse Pasta with Paste

Step 3: Use your Scapula to gently stir the spaghetti inside the pot until it becomes very noodle-ly and tender. This will make your spaghetti the very best that it can and everyone will want to be your friend!

Addendum #4: Replace scapula with metal spatula or wooden spoon, it makes people much less uncomfortable when you tell them that.

Step 4: Drain your freshly made spaghetti and allow it to dry under a careful constant watch. Once it is ready, you will be able add in your tomato sauce and preferred topping to the dish, and your spaghetti is now complete!

Follow these steps and one day, perhaps, you will become a master chef of spaghetti like me and everyone will want to be your friend...

_So much for third's time the charm._ Frisk slams the book shut and throws himself back in the chair as he releases a low groan.

 _I got some answers, but too many questions. How much of this can I believe anyway? Wish I could talk to Toriel. I bet she would know, just like Mom would know what to do._ Frisk pulls out the phone Toriel gave him. He dials her number and hears strange dog sounds on the other line before it ends. Frisk hangs in the chair, his sight turns towards the ceiling, knowing beyond it is another ceiling and a barrier. Frisk returns the books to their original places and leaves the Librarby in heavy thought and a gloomy mood.

 _Amy said the Barrier is what keeps us all trapped down here and there is no way out. Except for this weak spot. But if this weak spot exists, why haven't they used it? And these monsters. They're nothing like the monsters in the movies and TV shows; I didn't expect this at all. And if they really want a human so bad, how come they don't know anything about actual humans?_ The questions continue to flood Frisk's mind, but one manages to stand out above the rest.

 _And why did Toriel tell me that they wanted to kill me? Was she wrong? I guess the dogs did, but what's wron-right about everyone else?_ Frisk does not want to doubt Toriel, but the dots are not connecting together.

 _Someone is lying to me, or at least they don't want me to know the full picture. I don't know who, but I have to find the answers if I'm going to leave the Underground. But who would know? Heck, who would even tell me? Going back to the Ruins will waste too much time. I'll trust Amy as far as I can throw her. Sans is my best bet, but he'll protect Papyrus no matter what-!_ A light bulb turns on inside Frisk's head.

"Papyrus!" He exclaims

_He's training to become a member of the Royal Guard and they know Asgore's plan to break the barrier. They knew I was human on first sight, plus they're working directly for Asgore. And if Sans is telling me the truth, Papyrus is probably the only one who doesn't really want to hurt me. I can't believe this, but he might be the only way for me to find any answers._

"Oh my gosh, Papyrus is my last hope." The sudden realization makes Frisk sink into his feet a little bit.

 _Alight, I'll just let Papyrus capture me, and maybe he can tell me what's going on himself. Even if he's just in training, he has to know something._ Frisk passes through his encounters with the Skeleton. Even in spite of Sans' assurances, the memories leave him shaking at the prospect at facing the undead skeleton from beyond the grave.

 _I hope he's willing to listen to me. Weird, I wonder where his friends are…_ Frisk thoughts break as he falls under a spell that captivates him and ensnares his attention as he sniffs the air with heavy breaths.

A hot and pungent smell reaches Frisk's nostrils; the scent entices and takes hold of him with a tender and sweet caress. His eyes shut so more of his senses can be focused to his nose. Without being aware of it, his feet carry him towards the source of the smell, helpless like a mosquito to a light zapper. The smell is so tantalizing and warm that even if it had been the ultimate trap from Papyrus, it still wouldn't stop Frisk from investigating.

Frisk does not travel long before he reaches the source of the amazing smell: a small shop that sits next to an inn. Along the side there is a small open window where the smell emerges. Frisk enters the shop to uncover whatever waits inside.

"Hello there, traveler. I would ask what brought ya into my shop, but I can see that my treats have your approval." A rabbit monster in a purple dress says as Frisk nods over and over again. Frisk takes note of where he is. A simple shop with simple goods, trinkets, and knick-knacks for sell. But the smell remains at the forefront of his attention and mind.

"They smell amazing. I couldn't help myself. How much are those?" Frisk points behind the corner where the pastries sit. A wide selection of sweets, cinnamon buns, and deserts. There are no chocolates to the disappointment of a piece of him. Frisk gives it no thought as his tongue lathers with hunger as his stomach groans.

"Well I won't waste any of your time pardner, you know what you want. The cinnamon buns are 15G and the Bisicles, my own personal recipe you won't find them anywhere else, are 25G." The rabbit monster says with a thick but sweet accent.

Frisk pulls G out of his pocket, acting instead of thinking to empty his pockets and fill his stomach with delicious treats. Frisk nibbles on the pastry in a dream like stupor, it is a distant second place to Toriel's butterscotch pie, but Frisk isn't going to complain as the cinnamon fluff melts in his mouth like fresh honey. As he swallows, he can feel his strength and health restore back to normal.

"Golly, I've never seen such a satisfied customer. Be careful, otherwise, you'll spoil your dinner."

"Don't you worry about that. I had spaghetti earlier, so I'm pretty hungry now."

"Ah, don't tell me; you had dinner with those wacky Skeletons. I still the remember the time we all prepared a dish for the last town cookout. His spaghetti dish came in dead last and half the town's toilets broke down. Guess royal head scientist daddy never taught him how to cook right. Although I gotta say, Snowdin's been a lot more interesting with those two around."

 _Oh yeah Papyrus. Guess I gotta meet him sooner or later. Umm… I wonder though._ "Hey I'm kind of new around here, what can you tell me about Snowdin?" Frisk asks.

"Think back to your history classes. A long time ago, monsters lived in the Ruins back there in the forest. To make a long story short, we decided to leave the ruins and head for the end of the caverns. We found the rest of the Underground. While most left for the capital, some fuzzy folk decided they liked the cold and set up camp in Snowdin. And that's how we came to be in our humble little town."

"What do you think about it; how do you all live here?" Frisk asks and takes another bite out of his treat.

"Well, life is the same as usual. A little claustrophobic, but that's just something we all gotta get used to."

"I guess so," Frisk sighs.

"Ah, don't be so down, kid. We all know deep down that freedom is coming. As long as we got that hope, we can grit our teeth and face the same struggles together. That's life at the end of the day, ain't it?" Frisk smiles after hearing her warm words.

"I really hope…so!" Frisk can hardly believe what he sees as his eyes fall upon two specific items. The sweetness of the pastry turn into sour ash in his mouth. It takes Frisk shutting his mouth close to keep him from spitting it onto the ground from shock. With the spell of the pastry now broken, the warning of another baker he trusts returns to the forefront of his attention.

"What are those and where did they come from?" Frisk points at a unique duo of items for sale in the bakery shop.

"Oh, these old things. Believe or not, but they are genuine pieces from the surface! My Ma found these abandoned after one of those human kids came down to invade us. But that kid wasn't ready for Good old General Tony." She says as she takes out a manly bandana and tough glove, dusty from old age.

"D-Do you k-know what hap-happened to him?"

"No idea, all humans gotta be taken to the King. It's the law. He decides what to do with them after that. But hey, those humans got it coming, after all. He'll take back the surface and give it all back to us." She says.

"How much for them?" Frisk asks as he works to keep his voice from cracking into pieces. The last thing he wants is to arouse suspicion from the shopkeeper.

"They're 100G. Hey, don't look at me like that; do you know how valuable these things are? I ain't negotiating on these relics." It takes most of his remaining G he received from Toriel to purchase those two pieces from the surface. Throughout it all, countless questions flood into his mind as he exits outside with these possessions deep in hand.

 _Why?! I don't get it! Why would they do this?! I felt sorry for them! Why would they do this?! Do they want revenge? For what; we can't do Magic!_ They may not have known he is human, but thanks to Toriel's warning, Frisk knows the truth.

 _Why are they trying to kill me?! I never did anything bad!_ Frisk already knows this to be the truth, but never has it felt so real than it does now. Believing it is one thing, but holding onto the remains of another human being in his hands is an entirely other matter. For the briefest of seconds, he imagines a torn blue purple striped sweater and in his hands.

Frisk holds the bandana and glove close and deep to him; whether to have something from the surface to comfort him or to preserve something from the human who once owned them, he isn't sure. Frisk looks up at the ceiling. Panic and fear return to take hold of him, leaving Frisk with no idea of what to do next.

He is trapped in an underground filled with monsters trying to kill him.


	16. Chapter 16: Did it For Her

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 16

* * *

"What are you doing?" A Monster asks, as Frisk lies shaking upon the frozen ground. Not that the cold bothers him; he is too preoccupied with the arctic possessions in his hands. The manly bandana and tough glove carry a bitter chill so cruel the imaginary frost bite has long destroyed his hands; yet Frisk could not abandon them.

"I don't know anymore." Any drive or desire he had to continue is dead along with the human who owned these possessions. He is afraid he will join them and leave something of his own behind to be sold away in a monster's shop for junk.

"Where are you parents? They should be looking for you."

"Yeah, you're right, but I'm looking for her. Too tried right now." It's the first excuse he could think of and not an entirely false one either.

"You shouldn't be lying on the ground, kid, you'll catch a cold. And don't take this the wrong way, but you look bad enough already." Frisk does not doubt the monster's words. His journey has taken a toll on him as his numerous aches and soreness remind him. Frisk put no effort to hide the look of utter defeat on his face with his brow beaten eyes, sunken facial features, and a withered spirit to match.

"If you need a place to stay for a while, I'd recommend Snowdin Inn. They have warm beds and meals for travelers like you. A perfect place for good old-fashioned R&R." The monster finishes, leaving Frisk to wallow in his wounds.

_Guess I could use some ZZZs. If I go to Papyrus now, I wouldn't stand a chance._ He considers it an effective excuse for the time being and makes a mental note to find more when he awakes. He searches for the Inn across Snowdin's Main Street, like a zombie searching for their grave. To his pleasure and displeasure, it does not take long for him to find it.

Snowdin Inn is a neighbor to the bakery with its sweet smells and desserts, but returning to the source of his distress renders any pleasure mute. Frisk enters the inn to check in, hoping no one will ever find him.

"Welcome to Snowdin Inn. Snowdin's premier hotel: The place where being Snowed in doesn't have to be a bad thing. How can I help you?" A pink rabbit monster speaks from behind her receptionist desk.

"A warm bed would be real nice. Heck, I'll take a broom closet as long as you got no skeletons in it." Frisk says, his voice drained from weariness.

"We can do a warm bed. It is 80 G per night."

"One is all I need." Frisk places the remainder of his money on the table and signs a guestbook. In reality, Frisk wishes he could write a sideways '8' for duration of stay if he can avoid Papyrus and everyone else. She hands him a room key.

"Thank you so very much. We hope you enjoy your stay at Snowdin Inn." She says, full of cheer and life, Frisk envies the monster's spirit as he slumps up the staircase to reach the rooms. There are two of them and thanks to an apparent snoring concert. He doesn't need the numbers to know which one belongs to him.

"Ugh… Please not now. I don't want to deal with this right now." Frisk enters his room, throws himself onto the firm bed, buries his head beneath the pillow and plugs fingers into his ears. But the snores don't stop. A cacophony of nasal congestion and loud gasps come together to conduct the worst chorus in the Underground.

_Come on Frisk, you need this. You faced way worse than this and you didn't give up. You can do it_! Frisk thought and cheers himself on to endure this minor inconvenience.

\- Five Minutes Later –

"My goodness, you already look better rested! You were gone for a few minutes. Did you have a pleasant stay?" The inn manager asks.

"Peachy," Frisk says with gritted teeth and bloodshot eyes.

"Since you did not stay overnight, you can have a full refund."

_Oh, thank goodness!_ Frisk thought.

"We hope you can return to us soon."

_Oh, for goodness sake; no, thank you!_ Frisk thought and he collects his G and returns to the cold welcoming arms of Snowdin Town.

"Well that's a bust. Now what am I gonna do?" Frisk scans his surroundings, in desperate need of a new excuse to avoid his inevitable clash with Papyrus.

"Might as well take in the sights, I guess." Frisk walks away from Main Street and its residents. He enters the housing district, hoping to escape either Snowdin or its attention.

The homes of Snowdin are not organized like those on Main Street, with no uniform design or layout. Like the monsters, no two homes are exactly alike. There are homes constructed of thick lumber, bricks of mud, and ice igloos. Some are big, some small, in every color and shape, and scattered in every direction. It seems as long as it keeps the cold away, except for those which welcome it, it's deemed acceptable.

While their numbers have decreased, Frisk cannot escape the monsters. Their strange ignorance of humans allows him to hide in plain sight. Preferring the opposite, Frisk goes wherever there are fewer monsters. This continues until he arrives at a small river near the town's border with the forest. His lone company is a wolf monster chucking ice blocks into the river to flow towards some distant destination.

_Wish I knew how to swim. A nice hot summer day would be nice, too. Never thought I'd say that, but I'm running out of time and luck. How long until the Royal Guard find out I'm here? Heck, for all I know, they're on their way here now. I should move on, but… Papyrus._ Frisk ponders on the skeleton waiting for him at the main exit from Snowdin.

Thanks to the unforgiving terrain of Snowdin, going around will be treacherous, and there is no guarantee he will not get lost or pursued. Whenever the thought arises, any drive he might have dies before he can move, leaving him trapped where he stands.

_I know what Sans said, but he wants to be one of them._ Frisk takes out the manly bandanna and tough glove. _Would Papyrus do this to me?_

"Ahhh! What am I supposed to do?!" Frisk shouts into the air before turning melancholic.

_I wish you were here, Mom. You would know what to do._ Frisk overlooks the serene flowing river, not that it brings him any comfort in his time of crisis.

.BEEP. His phone cries.

"Huh? Who the heck is calling me? Wait, could it be Miss Toriel." Frisk answers his phone.

"U-uhh. I c-can't believe I'm actually doing this. P-Please help me." A voice too raspy & mellow to be Toriel whispers. Frisk wonders how much the caller wanted him to hear.

"I want to order Pizza. With umm... lots of different toppings. I like mushrooms... Olives… Pineapple… Scallion… Please, lots of veggies and no meat… Oh dear, I hope I'm not being too demanding." The voice says and Frisk listens in confusion. "Maybe it'd be better if I just send you a copy and-"

"I actually don't have any pizza now. They're broken and I have to fix them with tomato paste. I hope that wasn't too cheesy."

"Huh?!"

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. I'm pretty sure you got the wrong number. I don't have any Pizza."

"What? Oh dear, not again... I-I'm so sorry... Who is this?"

"My name is Frisk; who are you?"

"FRISK!?" The voice shouts, the line goes dead, and Frisk returns the phone to his pocket.

"This place keeps getting weirder and weirder." That is when a pair of hairy hands clumsily falls over his eyes. The suddenness of the action stabs Frisk in the back like a chilling blade, he could only wonder who found him.

"Peek a-boo, my little human. I found you." The voice fires an exploding firecracker of glee inside him. Frisk could not have been any more overjoyed to find Maribel behind him with a friendly and inviting smile.

"Maribel! Wow you're actually here… I-I C-can't say… how m-much… I…I. Oh my gosh. I'm just so happy to see…! I c-can't- talk- Ow." Frisk goes silent as the bat girl punches some sense into him.

"Yeah, it's nice to hear ya Frisk and you finally made it to Snowdin, too! I knew you could do it. Could have gotten here sooner with me, but guess all kids gotta grow up someday." Frisk thanks the fact she could not see the roll of his eyes.

"Hey! I made it. Wasn't easy you know."

"I'm joshing with ya Frisk. Thought you would have liked that. But seriously what the heck have ya been up to? The whole town's been talking about your little stunt this morning. Really wish I could have been there!" Frisk knows what she is talking about. While far from unpleasant it's not a moment he wishes to revisit.

"It was completely crazy, still can't believe it really happened and you didn't miss a-! Wait a second, what happened to you? Are you okay?" Frisk asks to learn what happened to her after she left him in Snowdin Forest. His concerns quell when she pinches his cheek.

"Ahh… Were you worried about little old me? How adorable. Well, don't lose your handsome human head. By the time I got back to Town everyone was still making Zs. So I snuck back home and dad didn't know I was gone. Man it felt so… good sneaking past him like that. We gotta do it again Frisk!" She says with a hop and giddiness in her voice, it reminds Frisk of how un-childish she is.

"I'll have to give you a rain check from the snow bank."

"Ah, you're no fun. Oh, I still got your crystal." She reaches into her sweater pocket and takes out the glistening red crystal. It beams in the dark to Frisk's delight before she returns it back to her pocket, to his disappointment.

"Need the perfect time for my plan to work. But I know he'll love it and he'll know I can take care of myself!" She cradles her wings against her face, enraptured with the notion and raising Frisk's spirits. "So, what are you gonna do now, Frisk?"

"I'm honestly not sure. I made it this far, but it's only a matter of time until the Royal Guard comes searching for me. And thanks to Papyrus, I'm kind of trapped in Snowdin."

"Papyrus? You mean San's brother?"

"You know Pap-" Frisk is cut off by Maribel's drawn out groan.

"Yeah, I know him. Everyone knows him, whether we want to or not." The frustration in her voice surprises Frisk.

"Wow, what the heck did he do?" Frisk asks, and she struggles to find an answer.

"Don't get me wrong; it's not like he's a jerk or anything, but he's the biggest expert on getting on your nerves, with a capital A for annoying. He wants to be friends with everyone, but I swear he doesn't know how the word 'No' works. Oh, and his cooking will make your stomach run away to hide forever. Sans is pretty cool, though."

"Yeah, that seems about right." Frisk recalls his time with the Skeleton guard in training and the many times he wished he could have been with anyone else. "But he told me he was doing all of this for his friends. They have to be here somewhere."

"If he has friends, I've never met them. But you know Frisk, I'm your friend. If you need help with anything, you can always ask me." The idea both attracts and repels Frisk.

"I'm not sure. It might be trouble; I don't know if I want to drag you into it."

"Oh no, not trouble, anything but trouble. Please. Don't drag me away to another adventure, Mr. Human." She props herself on the ground and sticks her stubby feet at him, giving Frisk a much-needed chuckle and smile. She stands and wraps her wing around his back, creating a makeshift shield from the cold.

"You're being a worrywart, Frisk; besides, I want to go on another adventure with my friend. So, tell me what ya need?" Her offer is difficult to resist, her willingness and commitment does give Frisk second thoughts.

_Guess I could hide at her place. If I wait long enough, the royal guard will miss me and Papyrus has gotta sleep sometime. I can make my move then. If they find me, I'll say I forced her to help me. That way she won't get into any trouble,_ Frisk thought.

"Can I stay at your house?" Frisk asks a simple question and finds a hard face.

"I... umm... I don't know if I can... I need to think about that. Isn't there anything else I can do? Anything else at all." She almost begs and Frisk is sadden to disappoint her.

"Not unless you can fly me across the Underground. Please, can you do it?" Frisk gives her all the time she needs to make her decision.

"I'm just really not sure if I-"

"Maribel, sweetie! I'm finished; we can fly home now," A sing-song voice says, taking Frisk's attention along with Maribel suddenly shoving her wing into his personal space.

"Frisk I am giving you an invitation to my house; do you accept? Don't think, just take it," she says with intense urgency, leaving Frisk surprised.

"Maribel! Where are you, sweetie? Please come where I can see you," The voice says again, closer this time.

"Hurry up, Frisk." Wasting no more time, Frisk takes her wing and they shake together. "Good, he can't get rid of you now," she says, and Frisk wonders what he agreed to.

"Who can't get rid of… me!" Frisk loses his nerve as a large fruit bat monster appears. His fur is black as night and had it not been for his brown suit & pants, bowler hat, and grocery bag; Frisk would not have been able to see him. The more he sees, the more he wants to be blind. From his pointed twin fangs, sharp claws on expansive wings, and sheer size that would require Frisk and three copies to reach his head.

"There you are, sweetie; how many times have I told you not to…" Frisk freezes from dread as the adult male fruit bat monster arrives to find them together, his wing trembling as he carries the grocery bag while he stands. stock still.

"What are you doing to her?" He asks, but no words could pass Frisk's quivering lips, and an odd silent standstill emerges as both stare at each other for what seems like a small eternity.

"Dad, you made it! Listen, I made a new friend, and I'm so glad the two of you can finally meet each other!"

"Your dad?"

"Your friend?"

"Yeah, come and meet my dad." Despite her invitation, Frisk remains frozen, not until Maribel moves behind and shoves him across the ground towards her Dad. All the while Frisk drags his heels into the ground until he comes face to waistline with the fruit bat monster three times his size.

"Here, Dad, this is Frisk, my friend; and Frisk, this is Francis, my Dad." She says and Frisk gulps deeply, surprising himself as he manages to raise his trembling hand despite the invisible weights strapped to his arm.

"Hello Mr. Francis sir, nice to meet you."

"I see, you've made a friend, a human friend." he says with a nervous chuckle.

_He knows I'm human. That's great… Maribel, please help me!_ Frisk thought and struggles to maintain his composure. To his relief, Francis does not take his hand. In fact, he does not give him anything at all. He places his grocery bag on the floor and turns all his attention to Maribel to conduct a thorough visual inspection of her, much to Maribel's annoyance.

"Dad, we were just talking. I'm okay."

"I am making sure, sweetie. Well, I am certain your friend is quite busy. We should stop being a bother and allow him to return to whatever he was doing. Say your goodbyes and we will return home." Francis says and relief rains over Frisk.

"But Dad, I gave Frisk an invitation to our house and he accepted; doesn't that mean we have to take care of him?"

"You did what…?! I mean, what I meant to say…. Um… Sweetie, haven't I told you to speak with me before inviting strang— guests to our home?"

_Umm, I'm literally standing right here._ Frisk thought with growing discomfort and cringe on his face.

"He's not a stranger, dad, he's my friend. Besides, he's in trouble and we have to help him."

"Oh sweetie, of course we can help your friend. But if you ask me, if he was able to make it to Snowdin alone, I believe that shows he knows how to take care of himself. You should have more confidence in the human." Francis speaks, his voice cheery and courteous.

"Of course, sir, I took care of myself all the time on the Surface." Frisk says and is ignored again.

"But he's our guest, doesn't that we have to take care of him?" Maribel asks.

"Yes, Monster guest privilege does entitle him to us, but our home is not suited for guests right now. There is much work that needs to be done and I am sure your friend does not wish to be bothered. And he can revoke his invitation at any time." The Monster turns to Frisk, his eyes stabbing him with his point, even sharper than his fangs, and Frisk does not mind taking the hint.

_You don't have to tell me three times in a row._ Frisk thought and prepares to flee for the hills.

"Yeah, Maribel, now that I think about it, I…" His eyes come across Maribel's sad and pleading face. Their faces come together to push and pull on his heart, and he is afraid of them. Fear in dreading a monster and disappointing his friend, with an awkward grin Frisk makes his choice. "…Would love to come to your house." Frisk says to Maribel's delight and Francis' shaking face.

"Yeah! This is great! We're all going to have so much fun." She says and Frisk wishes he could share her optimism.

"How very nice to hear that sweetie. I'm glad to know you are happy."

"I promise you won't regret this, dad! Things will be better than ever before!" She takes his wings into her own.

"Yeah, sir, I promise you won't have to worry about me, and I always keep my promises," Frisk adds, but he might as well have remained silent as Francis' cold shoulder endures.

"I sincerely hope so, sweetie, just promise me you will remain at my side." His voice is nervous before being relieved when Maribel goes to him.

"Of course, you know I will, dad." Francis picks her up. "Ahh! I didn't mean it like this, Dad! I can walk on my own!"

"Just indulge your old man for a while, sweetie. You know I only want to take care of you." He pats her forehead to calm the rowdy girl and Frisk could not help but chuckle. After a while she crosses her wings and makes a pouty face.

"Fine."

"Yeah, let's do that." Frisk adds.

"Good. Now let us go home together." Francis retrieves his grocery bag and carries himself and Maribel back into Snowdin Town. "Come along… human." He says in cold obligation, breaking Frisk out of his trance since he was not ready to be addressed by the Monster.

"Thanks, Sir. I'm sure we'll have a good time together," Frisk says.

"We will, just you wait and see, Frisk!" Maribel says.

And Francis remains silent as he leads them into Snowdin town.

Contrary to Frisk, Francis makes his route based on which road carries the greater number of monsters. The more monster eyes that fall upon Frisk, the greater his discomfort grows and the slower he moves. Eventually it becomes impossible to ignore, no matter how fast or slow he walks, there is always more than a comfortable distance between them.

Even when Frisk tries— and to be fair, there are many moments when he doesn't try to get closer to the hulking fruit bat monster— he falls far short of his traveling companions. From an outside perspective, one would assume they are simply traveling in the same direction as opposed to being in the same group. Like an unwanted stray dog following a couple home, soon to be rejected.

Despite the distance, it does give Frisk the solitude to be alone with his thoughts. _So, this is her Dad. Why did it have to be a dad? I would love to have met her Mom. And how does he know that I'm human? I have to be real careful around him._

Frisk slaps himself inside his head. _Oh, come Frisk, it's just one Dad and it's Maribel's Dad, too. You can handle that. Just because he's a dad doesn't mean he's a bad, selfish, good for nothing bum who doesn't… care._

Frisk comes to a stop as Francis pushes Maribel to his wing, where she can hang off of him like a swing. She laughs and cheers along with Francis, until she falls of his wing and is caught before she can hit the ground. Francis restores her seat on his shoulder and ignores her pleas for another round, promising her one later if she behaves. Frisk continues to stare as they smile and laugh together, and he would have kept staring, frozen like a statue there for all time if he could.

When monsters come to visit him in a hundred years, they would have wondered: Why was he smiling and crying?

And he would have done that, until a cold reminder of reality hits him in the cheek. "Uhh? What was that?" Frisk wipes away snow from his face.

That is when three monster children run to him. One is another rabbit monster, one is a tall gangly monster with four pairs of hands, and the last resembles a bear but with blue fur. "Sorry there kid. I was trying to hit Sally here but she moved at the last second and I got ya instead." The bear monster kid says.

"What's going on?!" Frisk asks.

"Snowball fight!" They announce together, before pelting each other in a barrage of snowballs. Despite being hit by a snowball, his heart leaps into the air to do a somersault. While Frisk has little love for the bitter cold, this is why he loves winter over summer. Snow is the ultimate toy and game machine.

"Can I join?!" Frisk says, unable to contain his excitement.

"Sure thing," they respond in unison as they all make snowballs until Frisk realizes his hands are outnumbered six to one. Unable to match, he flees away from the trio of monster children as they pursue him with newly assembled balls. To slow them down, Frisk scoops balls on his charge to toss back at them. Despite being turned away and all players being moving targets, Frisk lands his ball with a precise hit, to their mutual astonishment.

"Always follow your eyes." Frisk says with confidence, but despite his advantage in aim, it's the only one. It grows worse when a snowball hits him in the back of his head.

"Now I hear you, big jerk. Who said you could have fun without me, Frisk?" Frisk turns around and to his relief finds Maribel perched atop Francis' shoulder, both of them grinning, although Frisk suspects for entirely different reasons.

"Sorry Maribel, I just kind of got caught up in this. But we play together now. That okay with you guys?" The trio of monster children all look or nod nervously at Maribel's presence. One of them has a look of abandonment on their face.

"Is something wrong...?"

"Sure, I'll join you and-" Maribel leaps off her father's shoulder before he catches and places her upon the ground before him.

"Whoa, hold on there, sweetie; I don't remember agreeing to that."

"Dad. It's just a snowball fight. We'll all be fine."

"Of them I have no doubt, but you are another matter sweetie. You're blind, after all," Francis says with clear concern in his voice and a wing on Maribel's shoulder.

"Thanks for reminding me, Dad. But seriously, I promise I'll be okay with these." Maribel grabs her ears.

"I know, but things could still get very rough. I don't want you to get hurt after all. Remember we have to be here for each other." Francis says.

_Wow so that's what sounds like._ Frisk thought with a green heart.

"Just one game dad. One and that's it. I promise I'll be okay and if things get bad, we can stop." Maribel pleads to her father and after a long pause he releases her shoulder.

"One game and I get to supervise, if things get too rough or any monster gets hurt, then it's all over." Francis says, and Frisk could not help but notice the choice of words in that sentence.

"Ahh, thanks a lot, Dad. Come on, Frisk, let's go!" Maribel shouts as she joins his side and stands off against the other monster children.

"Umm… I don't know Gary, she can't see, is this really fair?" The four armed monster says.

"Oh you don't worry about that, once I hit your eyes, we can all be blind together!" Maribel states with a smug 'un-childlike' confidence while wriggling her ears to listen.

"Those are fighting words, c'mon guys, we can't let Maribel and the New Kid win!" Gary the Bear monster shouts.

"Nice to have ya, Maribel!" Frisk says, pleased to have her but his spirits dim as he finds himself unable to escape Francis' vigilant gaze. By now, a crowd of adult monsters have gathered in a circle to view the game with the other children. But his attention seems unbreakable and locked squarely upon him and Maribel.

"Wake up, Frisk!" Maribel shouts as Frisk finds them barraged by a storm of snowballs. Despite having another pair of arms, they remain outnumbered. A brief exchange demonstrates the fight is incredibly one-sided. While Maribel's ears allow her to detect and evade their snowballs, her wings and claws are ill-fitting for making her own fast enough. While Frisk didn't doubt he could hit them, his opportunities to make them are few due to dodging their snowballs.

As such they are forced to retreat down the street in hot pursuit as snowballs fly over their head. Unable to fight back, they are forced to hide behind a wagon to provide them with cover. Frisk tries to stick his head out, but a near miss forces him to duck down. He could no longer see them, but he could see Francis arriving to keep tabs on them.

"Give it up, Maribel and New Kid. You can't beat us now!" Sally says as she and her two friends close the gap on them.

"Come on, Frisk. We can't give up this easily. It's four on two."

"I know, but we have to… Wait, how do you know there's four of them?"

"The snow. I can hear those three running like elephants, but there's this one guy trying to sneak up on us like a rat. Clever, but he can't hide from my ears," Maribel says with pride.

"Great, so there's four of them. Yeah, that's totally not cheating. Now how are we supposed to get them?" Frisk says as he mows over plans in his mind.

"Let's just get out there and do this already." Maribel prepares to leave with a ready snowball, until Frisk grabs her.

"Wait, you can track them, right?

"Yeah."

"Then I need to borrow your ears."

Sally, Gary, and Brock come closer, armed with snowballs and ready to finish this game. "Come on; show yourselves and we can end this quick." There is no response and they come closer to deliver on their word.

That is, until a snowball flies out of the wagon and hits one of them with perfect accuracy. Brock the eight-armed monster goes down for the count, leaving Gary and Sally to finish the game as they hide behind their own cover. "Don't worry, Gary; just wait for Ed to flush them out and-"

Another snowball flies out, but instead of them, it goes into the assembled crowd and hits a monster trying to sneak behind them. "Ahh, Sally, Gary, they got me!"

"What the heck, how are they doing this? They shouldn't be able to do this!"

"Come on, Sally, we gotta finish them before they do us."

Throwing caution out the window, they abandon their hiding place and run towards the wagon, snow balls blazing and moving as fast and directionless as possible to avoid their attacks. They manage to reach the wagon with snowballs to spare, courtesy of Brock and his many arms. But when they arrive, they find Frisk alone and hit him with snowballs.

"Well, you got me. Guess I'm out."

"Where did Maribel go?" Sally demands.

"Up here!" They look up and find themselves bullseyes for snowball dropping from a flying Maribel, who dive bombs them. With that, the game comes to an end as Maribel is the final monster standing despite not standing. Overly impressed, Gary, Sally, Brock, and Ed assemble together and surround her.

"Whoa, that was so cool!"

"Yeah, I didn't know you could fly!"

"You're great!"

Frisk stands to the side, out of sight and out of mind, where he remains more comfortable while Maribel takes a bow and relishes in their attention. Even Francis leads the other adult monsters in a round of applause and cheers. "Yeah, I sure am, but I didn't do it alone."

She runs over to him and takes Frisk by his hand. He hesitates. "No, Maribel, you don't have to do…"

"Come on, Frisk, show them how good you really are." He stops fighting her and joins her at the center of a very large and bright limelight which attracts many eyes on them. Even with their smiles and approval, Frisk shrinks under the weight of so much attention. He lets Maribel do all the talking and showboating.

"Yes, I am amazing, but Frisk had the brains and that great arm. I couldn't have done it alone, but we had each other," Maribel says as she uses her wing to raise his arm into the air.

"Hey wanna play another game with us?" Gary asks.

"I'm sure we can…" Frisk and Maribel look at Francis, and he gives them his silent approval with a smiling hesitant nod.

"What are we gonna play?" Frisk asks.

"Oh, I know; how about Monsters vs. Humans!"

"Yeah, that's a great idea, Sally!"

"As long as I'm not stuck playing the human." Brock replies.

"Monsters vs. Humans? What kind of game is-" Frisk says as a deathly chill travels down his spine. Maribel steps in front of him before he can finish.

"Never mind, we gotta get going." Maribel takes Frisk's hand and drags him away. "Whatever you do, don't look back." she whispers to him. Despite her warning, Frisk could not help himself and sneaks a glance at the monster children.

"Okay, Ed, you gotta be the human. We'll go hide and you try to hunt us down and turn us to dust. And we'll make a puzzle to capture you!" The three of them run off while Ed remains behind.

"Ahh… Why do I have to be the human?" Ed speaks with vivid disgust.

Frisk's heart sinks into the bottom of his shoe, unable to believe what his senses are showing and telling him, but unable to deny them. _What kind of game is this?_ Frisk's thoughts do not have time to linger as Maribel returns him to Francis and a state of fright.

"Okay Dad we can go home now." Maribel says and Francis inspects her again, leaving Frisk relieved with another cold shoulder. His mind preoccupied and struggling to accept the existence of Monsters vs. Humans.

"Come on Dad, I'm fine."

"I know, Sweetie. Just wanted to…" Francis embraces Maribel into a hug, surrounding her with his wings in a surprise but loving ambush. "Do this to my little girl!"

"Dad! Not out here where everyone can see us!" Maribel says in embarrassment, but in that moment Frisk would have given anything to switch places with her. But, he mentally swaps Francis for someone less hairy and smaller, but with a heart just as big to match her smile.

"I had no idea your wings were that strong yet! You were outstanding back there! You might even be better than Mary when she was your age." Francis says with astonishment and pride.

"Thanks for saying that, Dad. I really appreciate that." Maribel says before Francis takes Maribel back to his shoulder and away from Frisk.

"Now let us return home, before we run into any more excitement." Francis walks away with Maribel.

"Yeah, I could use a breather. Be nice to…" Frisk stops as he notices Francis continuing without any acknowledgement or invitation to follow. "…be with just you two."

_Guess I'll follow him._ Frisk thought and walks in their shadow; again, the gap between them never seems to shrink, no matter how much or how little Frisk tries. Frisk feels like a distant afterthought as he trails behind, this is the last feeling he ever expected to encounter in the Underground… again.

_Maybe you two do have something in common, Frisk._ He thought with open contempt and scorn.

With all the excitement over, the three of them, or more accurately two plus one, make their way through the resident district of Snowdin. To Frisk's surprise, they do not stop and continue until they reach the boundary that separates the town from the wilderness of Snowdin Forest. Without the residual warmth from the town and all its inhabitants, Frisk's arms rush back to his sides in a vain effort to stay warm.

"I hope you know how to stomach your cold, human." Frisk's head almost flips, not used to being addressed by Francis. "Our home is quite a bit away and it does not get any warmer. 'Course, if you decide to remain in Snowdin, neither of us will blame you."

"Come on, Frisk, I know you can do it! You're gonna love our house; it's so cool," Maribel says, and Frisk cannot resist her.

"Sure thing. Let's go." He says with chattering teeth as the chill of Snowdin returns with a vengeance.

"Very well, then." Francis takes the lead without any warning and Frisk is again left with the assumption to follow them in silent solitude.

Gazing out at the field ahead of him, he wonders where their home could be. In doing so, he realizes how alone he will really be with Francis at their home. He does have Maribel, but her blindness ensures she cannot see any of what he will do to him. And the isolation of their home ensures no one else will either.

Contrary to what he said, the route to their home does not last long. The lights of Snowdin Town remain visible, not too far away behind them. As they arrive at what appears to be an enormous boulder in a small snow-covered crater. Had it not been for the carved windows, stone door, and three snow bats in the yard; he would have assumed it is a giant rock in the middle of nowhere. Not that he can complain as he trips and falls to the ground.

Maribel hops off of her father's shoulder. "I'm gonna go check on Frisk, Dad."

"Please be careful sweetie, and surely the human can pick himself up. They are much stronger than us monsters, I believe."

"You'd think so, dad. But here's the thing about Frisk: he's a huge wimp like you and he needs all the help he can get." Maribel insists as she moves towards Frisk.

"I am not sure about…"

"Besides, Dad, you gotta open the door for me. Remember, I'm blind and can't do that stuff like that." Maribel departs for Frisk. Meanwhile Frisk remains with his face planted on the ground, not minding the cold as he rests and is spared the sight of Francis' imposing form. At least until Maribel places her wing on his head after some searching.

"Ahh Frisk, you big klutz; you shouldn't be eating snow. You'll spoil your dinner." Finding her wing, Frisk is picked up and turns, happy to gaze upon Maribel's smiling face. For the first time in a while, he is warm once again. "Frisk, you should tie your shoes; otherwise you'll fall down again," she says while she digs her claw into the ground.

"My shoes are fine; what are you… Oh, my gosh, you're right. Thanks for the heads up." Frisk ties his tied shoe laces and reads the message on the ground.

DAD ACT WEIRD

DAD EARS VERY GOOD

STAY WITH ME

The lettering is sloppy thanks to her lack of sight, but remains legible. With a conforming hum, they return to Francis who holds the door open. Frisk 'accidentally' walks over the lettering along the way. Upon their arrival, Frisk could almost throw himself into the warmth of their home to escape the cold of Snowdin. While Maribel enters without difficulty and concern, the sight and presence of Francis is enough to make him hesitate in his steps.

_Come on, Frisk. This is what you've always wanted. Getting to hang out at a real friend's house. Don't let him ruin…_ Frisk thoughts stop when the stone door slams in front of him, leaving him alone outside with Francis. "Things!"

"Oh, my apologies, human. This door has a broken hinge that needs to be repaired. It is on my to-do list, but time has a nasty habit of getting away from me. You know, when I was your age, I heard many tales of human determination and strength. Would you be willing to provide me with a demonstration?" His words are kind and polite, yet grind against him like an axe.

"Oh, of course, sir. N-No pr-problem at all," Frisk says as best as he can, falling far short of both Francis and the stone door he turns to avoid looking at the oversized fruit bat monster. The stone door is taller than him and wider than his outstretched arms, leaving Frisk trapped as Francis flees behind him.

Frisk touches the door and flinches away from the frozen touch. Despite being made of stone, constant exposure has long rendered it a block of thick ice. Not that it stops him from trying to get away from Francis. Frisk pushes against the door with all of his might and the door does not budge. The cold weight turns his arms into uncooked noodles, an unbearable burden, but one Frisk is willing to bear to reach Maribel and escape Francis. The reward for all his effort is the door being budged open by an inch before Frisk falls onto the ground and it closes again.

"Well, I guess not all the stories are true. That's reassuring; stay like that around her, human, and we will have no problems." The monster opens the door with his wing like its made out of paper. "Do I make myself clear, human?"

"Crystal, sir." Frisk gulps deeply; his voice is puny like a mouse.

"Come on in, Frisk!" Maribel takes him inside and he could not have been anymore relieved to be dragged away from the Monster.

After they run inside, the door slams behind him like a snake biting his rear end and Frisk finds himself submerged in the darkness of their home. Unable to see anything or anyone, he clings to Maribel's wing like a life preserver amidst a turbulent storm at sea, weary of the shark lurking in the shadows. Thanks to his black fur, Frisk could not see Francis in the darkness. All he has are the sounds of steps on the stone floor, the crinkling of a paper bag, and removal of unknown objects. Frisk can see them in his mind now; weapons to beat him, potions to put him asleep, or a phone to call the Royal Guard.

"Ow. You're hurting my wing, Frisk."

"What did I just hear?" Francis' voice demands clarification.

"Nothing!" Frisk lets go of Maribel and grabs his sides in a half second, leaving him astray in the darkness of this cave home.

"So, Frisk this is our house! Now, I know what you're gonna ask; is it really this cool. Well, you're wrong, because it's even better. And I get to give the grand tour! What do you think?!" Maribel asks. Frisk does not know how to reply. Even if he isn't under this frightful spell, he could not see anything at all.

Meanwhile Francis continues to remove what may as well have become magical weapons of mass destruction in his mind. "I-I don't k-know what to say. It-t's too dark."

"Dad, why is it so dark? Frisk needs to see before I can give him my big tour."

"I told you our house wasn't suited for guests; the crystals aren't in their light sockets. You see, human, us bats can see in the dark, clear as day, and Maribel cannot see at all. Whenever it is just the two of us, we save on light by not using the crystals. We need to plan ahead to accommodate guests and visitors in our home." Francis says.

"Ooh." Frisk is genuinely surprised by his honesty, expecting those words were a flimsy excuse to get rid of him.

"Of course, I am sure your human eyes are far better than ours. If there are no complaints, then I foresee no reason for there to be any changes." His words are polite, but Frisk feels the tip of the blade at his back. Frisk knows this darkness will give Francis an unbeatable advantage and he is literally asking for his permission to leave him as blind as Maribel. He could not allow that to happen, but Frisk could not find the courage to oppose him.

"Yeah... Sure. Why not. This is fine." Frisk says as the darkness and walls close around him like a vice and by now Francis has managed to pull both Undyne and King Asgore themselves out of the paper bag.

"Actually Dad, can you fix the lights?" Maribel asks.

"But that would delay dinner time for quite a while, sweetie. You sure you want to wait?" He says while shaking a jar of viscous fluids that inside Frisk's mind could only be human blood.

"Yeah, Dad; I mean, if I'm going to give Frisk my tour, he needs to be able to see. It won't work if both of us are blind. But don't worry dad; you can start cooking and I can..." A sudden, pale green light illuminates from a wall socket, bathing the home in a faint light that alleviates Frisk' sight and dread.

Frisk finds himself standing in what he would never assume is a boulder or cave. The ground is covered in a lavish and soft carpeting of leaves and greenery. A wide assortment of wooden furniture divides the large room into a living, dining, and kitchen shared space, each with their corner of the home. Knickknacks lie scattered across shelves and tables like a grandmother with too many attachments in her heart for her possessions and not enough space to contain it all.

To his relief, Frisk does not find magical weapons or smuggled royal guards from the paper bag, but actual groceries. Although the relief is not great as the groceries consist of live insects, dead rodents, and other unknown jarred fluids. The light is not strong enough to reveal Francis' form, concealing his face and upper body in shadow. Only his orange-yellow pupils manage to stand out like lanterns in the dark, small and dying, but burning in their penetrating gaze.

"As she says, let there be light. Have your tour sweetie, just remember to be careful and to-"

"Not leave your sight. Yeah, I know, dad," Maribel says and drags Frisk aside for her tour.

"Now, you might think this is a giant rock, Frisk, and you'd be right! A long time ago, this rock fell from the sky and crashed with a giant BOOM! Wished I could have been there myself. Everyone else was scared, but you know who wasn't scared? Great Grandma. She came here with great grandpa and grandpa to dig this rock out from the inside. Everyone said she was crazy and that it would never work. But they worked themselves down to their last wing, taking out every pebble, every inch, and every crack until they finally managed to dig out and make this whole house by themselves!" Maribel declares with the utmost confidence and enthusiasm.

"They worked on it for about a week alone, before the Royal Guard declared the area was safe and half the town came to help us." Francis adds in a nonchalant manner.

"Dad! Why you'd do that? This is my tour and story!" Maribel stomps on the ground.

"Yes, it was lovely, and it grows taller every time you tell it. I still remember the time you said my grandmother flew to ceiling and pulled the rock herself."

"It's more exciting that way Dad. Ahh, you're no fun." Maribel whines and Frisk could not help but smile at this little spat between them.

"I don't mind fun, but if your story gets too tall, you may find yourself falling off the top. Better to be careful, although I am certain if we ever have any new problems," Francis says and turns his vigilante gaze onto Frisk, "the people of Snowdin will all return to help us again."

"No problems here, Mr. Francis. Everything is a-ok," Frisk says as best as he can and almost wishes the lights were gone so he couldn't witness the fruit bat monster staring at him like a predator stalking its prey. Luckily Frisk does not have to wait long for the tour to continue as Maribel takes him aside. To his displeasure, the tour starts with an inconveniently-shaped lamp.

They move onto a wing-carved wooden chair made by her grandfather. A surface TV set they managed to salvage from an underground junkyard. Countless knick-knacks collected from across the whole Underground and across the years. In Maribel's mind, every object, no matter how mundane, carries an epic yarn which she enjoys spinning for Frisk. Frisk never believed a simple house could be so extraordinary. Despite knowing her stories are a mixture of exaggerations and embellishments, he welcomes her infectious enthusiasm.

He especially needs it, thanks to the tour's second guest. Despite insisting he is installing the crystals to restore light for his sake, Francis only restores light in their direct vicinity. No matter where Maribel takes him, Francis is always a few steps away. Apparently, the monsters use a machine called the CORE for their energy needs; however, the geography of the Underground makes certain areas inaccessible, so Francis provides these crystals to those who cannot depend on the CORE.

While Frisk welcomes the return of light, there are times he swears someone is breathing on his neck. Despite never getting so close to Francis on the tour, it's impossible to escape his gaze, much less his presence. But if one judges by the glee in Maribel's voice, one would assume the three of them are already thicker than three thieving peas in a pod. Frisk wishes they were, since his time with Maribel and Francis thus far feels like having a sweet dream and a nightmare at the same time.

This continues until Maribel brings him to a series of bookcases and rocking chair, all filled to capacity with novels, a collection that rivals Snowdin Librarbry. Frisk is impressed. They are cared for and of a fine quality. While the majority is written by monsters, he recognizes a few human titles salvaged from the Surface. "All of these belong to Dad! Believe it or not, he's got more books than anyone else in the whole Underground. I swear, dad, if you weren't a bat, you'd have to be a worm to tunnel through all these books."

"Ahh, thank you kindly, Sweetie." Francis drops his duties to join them and takes a book into his wing. "There are few things as enjoyable as holding a nice solid bit of prose in your possession. I have been building this collection ever since I was your age." His voice is pleasant and earnest, not laden with some kind of hidden ill intent. It takes Frisk by surprise and hopes it will endure.

"I wish I could read them, but dad reads me one at bedtime every night!"

"Indeed, I already have something special planned for tonight."

"For me and Frisk, right?!" Maribel asks and Francis enters a long pause before he replies.

"Why, of course, sweetie, for you and your human. Tell us, human; you have any preferences?" Francis asks and Frisk is speechless. He always enjoyed television or film for offering him so much more and for being less demanding, as opposed to dreary dull books. Unless it was for a school assignment, Frisk rarely if ever read any books. However, if it means getting Francis off his back, he would have gladly read every book in the whole wide world.

"Oh, sure, Sir, I love books a lot; I read books every day, especially..." Frisk scans the shelves and despite the abundance of titles, a handful manage to stand out in his eyes:

Know Thy Enemy: The Human by Anthony, H.R.G.

Mysteries of The Surface Dwellers by Gerson

Do Humans Possess Souls? 101 Questions about Humans Answered by Dr. WD Gaster

"You know what? Surprise me," Frisk says, eager to leave.

"Well, we will cross that bridge when we get to it," Francis says like such an event will never happen, and little by little Frisk wants to agree with him as he clings closer to Maribel. If she suddenly declared she is taking him to the hottest, driest, and most arid desert in the world with no water, he almost would not have mind.

"Let me see, what should I show you next... Oh wait I know where to go! My Room!" Maribel takes Frisk by his hand and charges him to the staircase.

"Wings on the staircase railing and remember to walk." Francis reminds and collects another box of light crystals for the upper level of their home. She follows suit, not that Frisk ever had an intention of disagreeing with Francis.

They walk the steps as fast as they could, along the way there are hanging portraits. Each one displays a different generation of Bat Monsters, starting from her fabled great-grandma. She is so large and mighty; she rivals Francis and overshadows the rest of her bat family in the portrait. Dressed like pioneers at the edge of the Snowdin Forest and before their new rocky home.

Next comes a picture of Maribel's grandparents in their youth, they're smaller but come with a rugged workmonstership and tattered overalls that reminds him of coal miners. However, the one member of that picture that leaves Frisk speechless is not them, but their son.

He is positively puny, almost smaller than Maribel, with a dorky look to him with his stunted body, his ears too small and eyes too large, with a book he clings to tighter than Frisk holds onto Maribel. The boy wears a face that makes it absolutely clear he did not want his picture taken. Yet Frisk does not doubt that this is Francis, he could almost laugh if he doesn't wish to upset the same behemoth of a monster on the floor below.

Frisk never would have thought Francis of all monsters could look like this even as a child. _Wow. I hope my growth spurt will be that good. Oh wait! This is my chance to see... Her?_

At the top Frisk finds the final portrait in this long family line.

Frisk wants to go 'awww' at the sight of a younger Maribel. So small, and with tiny ears and even smaller wings, he finds her absolutely adorable, not that he would say it out loud. Francis is far more familiar to the monster he is now in this picture, but his face still carries a nervous look at having his picture taken. Yet while his body stands straight and strong, his eyes bear a preserved look of sadness, like he was holding back tears at that moment, but smiles for the sake of the picture and for Maribel.

Frisk notices unlike all the other portraits which display three or more family members, this one only contains two: Francis and Maribel.

_Where's your Mom?_ Frisk thought before Maribel takes him into the upper floor where they can dash into the hallway, with Francis scurrying not too far behind them. They wait for Francis to restore the light to their bedrooms, and Frisk finds himself dragged into her room by Maribel. As Frisk expected, despite finishing his lightning duties, Francis remains within strangling reach of him and smothering reach of Maribel. Eager to turn his attention to anything else, he studies her room.

Despite her gray blind eyes, her room is anything but that. Filled to the brim with many toys, games, and sports items scattered across the floor, table, and drawers in a way that makes sense only to her. There are several posters on wall of someone named Mettaton, their features are shrouded in illustrated shadows, but resemble a box on wheels to his confusion. The strangest thing is Frisk could not find a bed anywhere.

That is until Maribel goes to the wall and climbs along the side with her claws, taking Frisk by surprise. "Please be..." Francis begins.

"Careful. Yeah, I know dad; I've only done this a thousand times already." Maribel reaches a stalactite and hangs from it with ease. She spreads her wings to their full span. "Welcome to my Room! What ya think! You think it's cool, right?" She says, and Frisk could not have agreed more.

"This is amazing! You got so much stuff and space; my room was nothing compared to this."

"Ha! Ha! My room is better than your room. I win!" She says in a sing-song voice.

"It's not a contest. But yeah, you win in a landslide." Frisk scoffs as he ingests her sheer glee at the victory. "Yeah remind me, which one of us is the kid again?"

"Frisk! I'm not a... Whoa!" In her stomping she loses her grip and falls from the rock. Driven by instinct Frisk goes to grab and stop her descent, but fails as Francis pulls him away and throws himself at the floor. She falls onto Francis like a cushion to soften her blow.

"Maribel, sweetie, are you alright?!" He shouts, his voice dripping with shaking concern.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine. Wow, thanks for doing that."

"Anytime and anywhere, I'll be there for you, sweetie, but please be more careful. And the same goes for you, Human." His concern takes on a more stern and commanding tone. "You must be more careful, especially around Maribel. She does not have your strong Human body and she is blind. If you wish to continue enjoying her company, I advise you to treat her as you would yourself."

"Of course, sir, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it and it won't happen again," Frisk murmurs, his words almost going to pieces as he folds like wet cardboard before Francis.

"Dad, it's okay. It was just an accident. Frisk didn't mean it and you know sometimes accidents can be good."

"Not always sweetie, not always. You and I should both know that." Francis says and steps aside; his eyes remain unwavering as he approaches Frisk.

"Well, Dad, I hope I can change your mind." Maribel rescues Frisk and takes him to a window carved into the stone wall. It gives them a scenic view of serene Snowdin Forest, with its pointed sea of trees and blanket of white snow. For a few moments, Frisk is not underground but back on the surface in a log cabin, staring out at a beautiful winter night. At any moment, his mother would be there with a cup of hot cocoa. He could have stayed for hours until a pang of guilt strikes his heart, since it is a view his friend cannot appreciate like he can.

"You came here at the best time Frisk! In three days, we'll have a big party for the anniversary. Oh, you'll love it! There'll be games, lots of food and fun, and everyone is gonna be there!" The stronger her enthusiasm grows, the stronger his guilt grows too.

"That sounds fun, Maribel. I really wish I could be there. But... I mean don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't want to go," Frisk lies.

"You mean you still want to leave?" Her wing tightens on his arm.

"Yeah. I gotta move on. I mean, I couldn't stay here forever. You know that."

"I know. But... I just thought that-"

"Maribel, Sweetie, if the human says he must move on, than he must move on. I am certain he has his reasons and we should not argue with him." Francis says, and he seems a little too pleased with the idea for Frisk's liking.

"I know. I'm just not good at saying goodbyes. Never liked them..." Her voice takes a sudden somber tone and before Frisk could ask her what's wrong, she returns to her upbeat demeanor as if she noticed him.

"Well, you'll be missing out on a lot, Frisk. The best part of the whole party is the giant prop sun and moon we make and hang in the sky. They light up and make a beautiful light in the air. But I'm sure they're not as good as the real deal," she says, and Frisk could not help but notice something odd with her statement.

"Wait, how do you know that? I mean... Well how would you... you know?" Frisk does not want to state what she already knows.

"See them? I wasn't always blind. When I was a little kid like you, I could see just fine. I still remember seeing the Sun and Moon one last time from this window with Mom, and I'll never forget them! They were so big and bright and had beautiful smiley faces on them! Ya know, if ya stick around, you can describe them to me."

"Maybe next time," Frisk says to her disappointment. "Sorry, I thought you were born blind."

"My mistake for not telling ya. Would love to know how you look like, Frisk, unless you are just a walking, talking, blue-brownish smear," she says and tickles his cheek with her claw.

"Honestly, you're not missing much. What happened, if you don't mind me asking? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He asks, and Maribel makes a puzzling look, her head sinking with heavy thought.

"Okay I'll tell you. I gotta warn ya, it gets a little intense. And honestly, it was the weirdest thing ever; you see, one night-"

"I'll be going now. Must get dinner ready. I'll be down stairs if you need me," Francis says, his voice fragile and almost broken. Frisk could not believe he is actually going to be alone with Maribel for awhile. He almost believes he could fly to the surface as a literal mountain of dread and expectations are lifted off his shoulders.

"Okay, Dad." Maribel takes a long pause, her ears attuned to sounds of steps moving away from them. "Sorry about dad, he's acting so weird. Never seen him like this. But don't worry, I'll take care of him," she whispers, and Frisk had to take her word with a nod.

"Now, where was I? Oh yeah, it was the weirdest thing ever, and on such a normal day, too. So, dad reads me a bedtime story, tucks me in, and I go to sleep ready to go to school tomorrow… Next thing I know, I'm screaming and crying on the ground. My whole body was burning, but my eyes felt like they were on fire." She spreads and shakes her wings to illustrate her point.

"Jeez! That's awful! I'm so sorry that happened to you. What the heck happened?" He grabs her shoulder to support her, almost feeling the same burning pain inside him as she recounts the story.

"I would tell ya if I did know. I was in the ward for a full week. They brought doctors from the whole underground to treat me and none of them could explain what happened. For a long while they had me under observation in case it would happen again; thankfully, it didn't! They got me back on my feet, but my eyes were so busted not even green magic could fix them." She goes silent for a long pause; before Frisk could comment she does so with a hesitant and quiet tone to avoid her father's ears.

"But here's the creepiest thing. I never told anyone this, not even the doctors. Didn't want them to think I was going cuckoo. Heck, for awhile, I thought I was crazy. Sure you wanna know?" He is hesitant to learn, not used to this seriousness from her. But he is so touched by her trust in him, to share this information with him, he could not deny her.

"I'm sure you're not crazy. So hit me." Maribel punches his arm. "Not like that." Frisk says and Maribel chuckles.

"Sorry Frisk couldn't resist. Well when I was on the ground… I heard someone talking to me." Her cold words send a chill across his spine. "Wasn't Dad or Mom, because I didn't recognize their voice. I tried to talk, but the pain was too much. But I could still hear them. They were crying, bawling their eyes out. They kept saying sorry, and they just wanted to go home. When Dad dragged me away to the doctor, they said they didn't want to be alone."

"Wow, talk about weird." The whole story leaves him beyond unsettled, even for an underground full of Monsters that made him stand on the edge of his nonexistent seat. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm okay now. But back then, I was so freaked me out. It took me another week to leave my room. I always thought, 'who was that and how did they get into our house?' Why couldn't we see them? Was the voice even real or just in my head? Well, I never heard that voice ever again, and I really hope I don't."

"I can't blame you at all. That's gotta be one of the weirdest worst things I've ever heard of." Frisk says, and Maribel goes "ehhh."

"That's not what I meant. Now, don't get me wrong, that's a round two I never wanna have ever again. But their voice… it was so sad and their cries were so loud. I couldn't believe how no one else could hear them. At least the Docs were there for me. I can't imagine what it must be like to cry like that and no one is there to help you. I never want to hear anyone cry like that ever again." She says, and Frisk's heart grows heavy; he wraps his arm around her shoulders.

"Well, I'm not sure if I can do that, but I hope you'll never hear me cry like that. And it's all thanks to you, Maribel."

"Ahh, Frisk, you're turning me red." She punches him, but by now they no longer bother him. "Say, does anything like that ever happen to humans?"

Frisk is going to say no, but in retracing his steps, one unexplained experience rushes to the forefront of his mind with a vengeance. "Actually, now that you mentioned it, when I fell into the Underground, my heart felt like someone was digging into my chest and trying to crush it into pieces. I was fine and the pain went away, but I was all alone and couldn't explain what the heck happened. Took me awhile just to get back to my feet and start moving again."

"Wow. Real sorry that happened to ya, Frisk… But hey, you managed to make it this far into the Underground, Frisk, and you did it all alone, too."

"Yeah, I guess I sure did," Frisk says but a piece of him could not disagree anymore.

"Course you had me to get ya out of those caves in one piece. Well, Frisk, the two of us can be freaks together. Come on, enough talk, let's go and have some fun!" Maribel says and uses her wings to inspect her toys and games, finding a box and dragging it out the door. While Frisk would have preferred to have stayed here, he follows her nonetheless.

They return to the living room to play with the various toys she gathered. To his relief, Francis remains in the kitchen to prepare whatever meal to rival Papyrus if the foul stench is anything to go by. Putting it out of his mind, he turns his attention to the toys and any relief he hopes to find evaporates. While most of them are innocent enough- board games, balls, electronic handheld games- it is the dolls that leave him beyond uneasy.

The monster dolls are pleasant and inviting enough, with their welcoming colors and designs. The others are everything but that. While they do not resemble humans, they do resemble a poor brutish imitation of them, and it is clear these are supposed to be the 'bad guy' dolls. With their angry or ugly faces, bulkier bodies, and far more aggressive designs with multiple points of articulation that make combat poses their default stance.

Frisk does not blame Maribel for playing with these toys, she couldn't have known any better. But their very existence makes him want to leave their home and never come back. _What the heck is wrong with this place? We don't even know about them. Why does everyone... hate me_? _I haven't done anything wrong._

Frisk stares at Maribel, who is oblivious of his internal turmoil. Despite having a friend, even she could not alleviate the constant feelings of loneliness and helplessness which refuse to leave him.

_I've always wanted to go to a friend's house. This should be great, but why did it have to be down here, and like this?_ Frisk sighs, his happiness with her is dragged through the mud by a sense of disappointment after fulfilling a long-time dream. A feeling that doubles when a gaze falls on him like a too heavy blanket and cannot be removed. While he does not doubt Francis' stares come with ill intentions, his constant attention does bring an odd sense of comfort.

_Well, I guess that's one thing that's different. At least you're doing your job._

\- 1 Hour Later -

"Dinner is ready!" Francis announces, Maribel leaps to her feet and runs to their table while Frisk moves like his feet are encased in concrete, dreading this moment ever since he saw Francis pull out those monster ingredients. The feeling does not disappear when he sits at the dining table.

"Oh Frisk, you're gonna love dinner. Dad's the best at cooking."

"Thank you, sweetie; and you are in for a delightful treat, human. I've prepared some authentic monster cuisine." Francis serves Frisk a plate of cooked beetles and insects, a bowl of soup with a piece of floating dead rat, and to his surprise, a salad bowl of actual veggies. Frisk never considered going vegan, but the temptation is hard to resist as his stomach churns with memories of monster candy and Papyrus' pasta.

"You know, human, if there is nothing here to your particular tastes, you are more than welcome to find something in Snowdin Town. I know Grillby has some old surface recipes." Francis gives him a double serving of bugs. "I'm sure humans have big appetites, especially after the long day you must have had."

"You're being too pushy, dad. Come on, Frisk, I know this sounds weird coming from me, but it's not as bad as it looks." She takes a spoonful of insects and gobbles it with no effort, making a satisfied hum sound.

Frisk looks at his meal with tribulation. His nose cannot find anything wrong; it fumes an exotic smell he is not accustomed to. But his eyes fill his mouth with a disgust so vivid he struggles to contain his gag reflex. Shutting his eyes and taking a spoonful, Frisk shoves the raw insects into his mouth and he swallows, hoping to slide the contents past his taste buds. He fails, but his eyes open wide.

Gazing at the plate, he takes another bite to confirm his doubts, letting the food sit and wait in his mouth, and he could not believe it. "Wow! I never knew bugs could taste so good. Thanks, Mr. Francis, sir."

They are the perfect combination of crispy crunchy on the outside and soft chewy tenderness on the inside, with an inviting nutty flavor. He takes another bite to Maribel's delight and to Francis perfectly straight unreadable face as he takes his seat.

"Well, I am pleased to hear that, human. Always a joy to keep our friends pleased, but since you are only our guest, perhaps can you tell us more about your self and why you are here?" Francis says in a polite, inviting voice; but Frisk could not escape the feeling he is being interrogated by the good cop. He does not want to meet the bad cop.

"Oh, me, there's nothing really special about me. I've always been pretty boring and normal, I guess. Yup, nothing special about me," Frisk says in between bites with tense nerves.

"Guess it's all thanks to me that you're so interesting now, Frisk. Where you'd be without me?" Maribel adds.

"Glad I don't have to find out." Frisk says.

"Now there's an interesting idea," Francis says at the same time and they create an awkward pause. Frisk sips some soup to ease his stress. Again, it's better than he expected, considering the floating piece of rat. He wishes he could say the same about his bat host. "Honestly, human, surely there must be something you enjoy doing in your spare time? Reading, sports... brawling?"

"Oh, no, no, no... I don't do any of that kind of stuff."

"Ahh, so your interest in books is not as grand as you led us to believe. Quite misleading, aren't you."

"Dad, just let him talk. C'mon, Frisk, tell dad how awesome you are. Like I know you are."

Frisk finds himself between a rock and a soft place, both pushing and holding him with great force. For the moment, he remains committed to Maribel. "Well, I didn't really have much spare time for myself. I had to do most of the chores around the house. Aside from school or grocery shopping; I can't leave home." His voice grows sullen as Frisk reflects on days he hoped would be behind him for good.

"I guess I did learn how to do a lot of stuff. I know how to do laundry, I can fix lots of stuff, and I'm not too bad at cooking myself. There was a lot to do and it never stops."

"Wow Frisk, I was joking earlier, but I guess I really did do a welcoming number on ya."

"Yeah, you can say that again." Frisk says, not realizing how much he enjoyed his time with her in the caves, a time and experience he's never known from that place he had to call home on the Surface before.

"I must admit, human, I am impressed. Most children do not know the burden of raising yourself. Not even myself at your age; quite the skill for any child."

_Wow, an actual compliment._ Frisk thought as he takes another bite of the insects, again surprised by how much enjoys them.

"Yeah, if only, Dad," Maribel adds, her voice slightly irritated.

"It makes me wonder what else you can do. You no doubt must be incredibly adept, capable, and strong." His words stop there but his tone makes the remainder of his sentence easy to imagine. 'I'd hate to get into a fight with you.'

"I did have some fun; harmless and non-fighting kinds of fun." Frisk feels the need to clarify. "There were a lot of newspapers lying around, and every snack or cereal box would have puzzles to solve. Word searches, cross word, Sudoku, connect the dots, escape the maze; it was a lot of fun! And I always had good old uncle TV around if I got real bored; lots of times I would stay up late to watch the latest creature feature or some old sci-fi b movie," Frisk says with surprising ease. Those films once scared him. Now they seem like jokes compared to the real deal sitting across the table from him.

"Honestly, I think my favorite thing to do was to stare at the sky. There was a window on the roof. I could just lie there and just stare for hours. I really liked it whenever it rained or snowed, it was like I really was outside." Frisk relaxes as he recalls some of his only and fleeing happy memories in that place he was forced to call home. "It made me wish I could be out there, too."

_That'll never happen again, not once I reach Mom. She'd never do that to me. We'll go outside every day._ Frisk thought as he relishes another spoonful of soup.

"Wow, you could do whatever you wanted, Frisk. Sounds like a lot of fun, if you ask me. And heck, solving puzzles and wanting to go free. You sure sound like a monster to me." Frisk is going to correct her when he considers her words and realizes she does have a point. Judging by what little he knows so far; he and the monsters do have much in common. "Well, Frisk if ya wanna be an honorary monster, that'd be fine with me. Wouldn't that be great, dad?!"

Her words bring a smile to Frisk's heart, one diminished by all the experiences he's had in the Underground. "Never thought of myself like a monster; if only it could be that easy."

"A monster of a different variety, perhaps," Francis says after a long pause and bite. A piece of himself agrees with the Fruit bat. "Well, if you are an honorary monster, I suppose you came to the right place. Enjoying your time down here in the Underground? Humans are a rare sight here, and easily misplaced when problems arise." Frisk recalls the tough glove and manly bandana in his possession and a deathly chill spreads across his body.

"Oh, the Underground is great! It's wonderful and happy. Don't have any complaints at all. No problems here." he says, his voice beyond tense.

"Really? Well, that settles it; you are human. No monster would ever say such things about our lovely prison." Frisk wants to slap himself for forgetting such a simple fact. "But thankfully, we monsters have each other; isn't that right, sweetie?" Francis shoots a warm glance at Maribel, one she struggles to match, leaving Frisk's heart green with envy.

"Yeah, Dad, that's right. But isn't it also right that the lost prince had a human friend a long time ago? Didn't they make the Underground and everyone happy?" Maribel nonchalantly asks and Frisk spits takes.

"Wait, what?! Who were they? When did this happen?" Frisk asks, a piece of himself intensely curious to discover what happened next.

"Oh, just something that happened a very long time ago, Human. Trust me, you do not want to know; you would not like the ending. No one does." His voice is somber and sad.

"But there was a human and monster that became friends? How is that possible?" Frisk stands over the table before Francis' gaze forces him back into his chair.

"There are exceptions to every rule, one not likely to happen again, I believe. It has been a long time and too much has happened since."

"Maybe me and Frisk could be the next exception to the rule. Heck, who knows. Maybe it won't have to be a rule anymore. Wouldn't that be nice, Dad?" Maribel says, her voice noticeably hard and sharp.

"Oh, of course, sweetie; that would be wonderful if the two of you could manage it. But do not forget, your human friend is quite intent on moving on. Distance is not easy on relationships; trust me, I would know."

"You won't forget us, will ya, Frisk?!" She asks, almost desperate for the answer.

"Don't worry, Maribel, I promise I won't forget any of you," Frisk says with a warm smile for her. "Not even you, sir, and I don't break my promises." Frisk glares at Francis, waiting to see what he does next in this verbal joust.

"Well, in that case, I wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your journey human. Who knows; perhaps we will join you on the surface one day? I do not know what Asgore is planning, but he has promised that we will return one day soon. And he is not known to break his word either."

"That sounds like a lot of fun! We can hang out at your house and do all sorts of stuff together, Frisk!" Her words make Frisk smile; to bring Maribel with him to the Surface and introduce her to his mother, he couldn't think of a better day. However, the more he thinks, the more the idea drags his face and heart down.

"Careful, human, I can see you just fine. Does that idea displease you, having us monsters on the Surface?" The question hits Frisk like a sucker punch, leaving him with no answer. He would not mind taking Maribel, Toriel, and Sans with him to the Surface; but taking all monsters is an entirely different matter.

He does not know much about the Surface or Underground, nor about humans or monsters. He is far too young and small to understand places so vast and strange to him. Yet there is one thing he does not doubt, and that is that humans and monsters would not get along with each other. The idea of Maribel being hurt by other humans brings him more discomfort than anything else on this table.

"No answer. Are things really that bad? Please tell us, what awaits us on the Surface? What have humans done with the Surface in our absence?"

"How's the Sun and Moon?! Are they really as pretty as they are on the Surface?" Frisk finds himself torn once again. Her words make him happy while his words bring him sadness. He knows the truth, but he does not wish to bring the mood of the dinner any lower than it already is, nor does he want to give Francis any satisfaction.

"Oh, yeah, the sun and moon are giant circles in the sky. You can just stare at them for hours as they fly across the sky like birds. And the sky is this beautiful endless blue you can just get lost in. It was always the best view back at home and it was always there," Frisk lies.

"Wow. I wish I could see them myself."

"Yeah, me too." Frisk says, honestly this time.

"Those are your skies, and what of your grounds?" Francis asks.

"Oh, the surface is great; we all live in giant amazing cities and they are so beautiful. Buildings reach into the skies, higher than you can even imagine. There are lots of stores and food and fun everywhere you go. Everything is safe and clean and everyone is so nice; I mean, the Surface is so huge and with lots of places and people to visit. You couldn't even see all of it even if you lived a hundred years. I wish I could see it all and I just love it all," Frisk lies with a fake grin.

"And what did you humans do?" Francis asks.

"Well, since I was a kid, I had to go to school every day. This place was great. School is where we got to learn about all kinds of cool stuff. The teachers were all so nice and wanted to help us get ready for when we become grownups like them. Kids from all over the city would be there, and we got together to learn, hangout, and have tons of fun. We would have lessons, recess, gym, lunch and lots of other stuff for 8 hours and we would have to go back almost every day to do it all over again." Frisk lies, amazed he is able to keep a straight face the whole time.

"Really? Jeez, that stinks. We only have to go to Monster School for a few weeks a year before we're done. I think I would go cuckoo if I had to do that every day." Maribel comments and even Francis is taken aback by his words.

_Oh, you have no idea._ Frisk releases his hands before his nails can cut into his hand; having to complement that hellhole was the hardest thing he's ever done in his life.

"Where on the surface are your parents when all this is happening?" Francis asks.

"The grownups, they went to these great places called jobs. It's where they get to do all sorts of cool stuff to make money so they can buy stuff. They leave in the morning everyday & you don't see them for really long times. But you always look forward to when they come back home and open the door to give you a hug. After all it's just the two of us and it's not like making money is more important than spending time with your only son who wasted the whole day waiting for you to come back home and all you want to do is sleep…" Frisk stops when he realizes he is stabbing the table with his fork.

"Ahh, Frisk, you okay there?" Maribel asks, and even Francis flinches at his action.

"Fine," Frisk sighs, as he tries to contain his boiling blood.

"And you humans do all this over and over again, everyday?" Francis asks.

"Not every-every day, but basically yeah," His voice is exhausted and tired.

"I do not know much about the Surface, but I read in one of your human books that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different things to happen. Perhaps you humans are stronger, but no monster could survive in such conditions. I suppose it's good to know you humans have put the Surface to wondrous use."

"Yeah Frisk, all that sounds awful to me. Are you really happy on the surface?" Maribel asks and Frisk does not answer until the pause would have become awkward for it to continue any further.

"Yeah, I was happy," Frisk lies.

"Really? Excuse me for being bold, human, but none of that makes any sense to me. If you were truly happy, why would you come here to the Underground? Are you hiding something from us, human?"

"Dad, that's personal. Frisk, you don't have to answer."

"It's fine, Maribel, I'm not hiding anything," Frisk lies and rises to meet Francis along with his blood pressure. "I came to Mt. Ebbott searching for someone special and I fell down here by accident."

"So, let me see if I understand you correctly, human. You are telling me you were so happy with your family and home that you decided to leave it all behind and come to Ebbott. Do they even know what you are doing? Where you are? Do you even care?" Francis demands and Frisk's face grimaces, after a long day of torment, his limits near their breaking point. His fears drown in a sea of lava in the mouth of a volcano mere moments away from eruption.

"No, he doesn't know! I left and came here on my own!" Frisk shouts as his voice grows louder and madder.

"I see now, so you are a runaway. You abandoned your so-called family and home. Now I know you could never be a monster like one of us. Down here, we care for our fellow Monsterkind and would do anything for each other. Unlike you humans, apparently; we shouldn't be surprised."

"Well, excuse me for being human!" He shouts, no longer containing his anger as all the near-death experiences, capture attempts, and constant vilification rush to the forefront of his mind in one moment.

"Dad! Frisk! Please calm down, there's no reason to fight like this!" Maribel shouts and stands in a futile effort to stop them.

"There it is. It has been a long time since we were banished, but I can see little has changed. We monsters wouldn't stand a chance against a human like you. Is that the true reason you came down here? Well know this human; I also made a promise, and surface or underground, I will never allow any of you to hurt Maribel, not again."

Frisk clenches his fists, mere seconds and inches away from breaking his word. Despite it all, he could not bring himself to disappoint Toriel. Instead, he will throw his chair away, punch the stone door to the ground, and tear the Barrier to pieces with his bare hands.

The one thing keeping him from exploding is the clear concern and care in a father's voice for his child's well-being. It's an alien sound to him, but one which brings tears to his heart and eyes. His face crunches like sucking on a sour grape, tears stream freely across his cheek, while his mouth mutters intelligible curses at everything wrong in his life, one thought manages to rise above all others in his mind.

_Why. Did. I. Have to get. Stuck with you! Frisk?_ _!_ He stands, ready to revoke his invitation and leave forever.

Before any of that could happen, there is an explosion, but not from him. "That's enough, Dad! You've gone way too far!"

"Maribel, sweetie, please under-"

"Don't you dare tell me to understand when you can't even understand my friend!" Maribel stands and approaches her tall and hulking father without wavering in her steps.

"You wanna know why Frisk came here? He's searching for his Mom! He just wants to see her so bad and instead he got stuck with all of us and we've been nothing but horrible to him. If being a monster on the surface is bad, well it can't be any worse than a human being trapped underground!" Maribel lectures her father, not affording him a second to speak as he backs away from her. The sight leaves Frisk stunned, to see this fully grown fruit bat monster cower away from his own child.

"And you wanna know how I know all this? Because I got to hang with Frisk in the caves while you were napping. Yeah, you heard right. Me, your helpless little blind girl, left home all alone, solved that unbeatable floor puzzle you said was too dangerous, flew across a giant hole, and got past a giant monster to get this for you!" Maribel digs into her pocket and takes the red crystal Frisk gave to her. Francis is shocked at its glowing appearance.

"And you know what, I didn't have to do it alone and Frisk didn't have to help me. But he did help me, because he's smart, he's loyal, and he cares a lot about me and I care a lot about him." She turns to lock eyes with Frisk. "He might be a human, but he's my best friend." Frisk almost cries tears of joy, and he could have kissed her at that moment in gratitude. She walks and takes his hand.

"You're my dad, and I love you," she continues. "But I won't let you or anyone else treat him like this. Come on, Frisk; I'm not hungry anymore." They run towards the staircase, but she makes one final approach to Francis.

"Here, I know Mom would have loved it. Frisk got it for her." She gives him the red crystal and leaves to rejoin Frisk as they run up the stairs. "Oh, and one last thing: yeah, I know I'm blind. You don't have to remind me and everyone else every day!"

With those words, Frisk and Maribel depart upstairs, enter her room, and she slams the door behind them. Frisk remains still, impressed by what she did, while Maribel shakes where she stands before turning to face him with weeping gray eyes. "Frisk, I am so sorry that happened to you. I knew dad would be trouble, but I'd never thought he'd still be that bitter about humans."

"Listen..."

"Don't say its fine, because it's not. I know humans have done bad stuff, but thanks to you I know not all humans are bad. You're awesome, and I just thought if I showed you to dad, he would finally get over-"

"No, not that; I wanted to say thank you. No one's ever stood up for me like that. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me." He makes her smile, before her face shrinks back into a frown.

"Really? No one has ever done this for you before? Am I really your first friend?" She asks, and Frisk wants to bury himself under a bed. He settles for sitting and sulking along the stone-cold wall in a corner.

"Yeah. You are." His words come with pain, and he grabs his knees to soothe them. Maribel joins him on the ground.

"I would say that'd be a great honor, but I wouldn't mind if I was your tenth friend," she says, but Frisk remains silent. "Frisk, I know you're down, but please don't cut me off now. You can talk to me, ya know."

He appreciates and welcomes her comforting presence, absorbing all the pain and sadness inside him like a super sponge. Somewhere deep inside of him, a dam bursts. "You know… the Surface and Underground have one thing in common. If you're not like everyone else, you're not going to have a good time. Most of the time, all you can do is pretend everything's okay, when you know it's not."

"I don't know if I can go that far, but I get what ya mean. Is that why you ran away from home, Frisk?"

"Yeah, it was. Looking back, I can't believe it took me so long. I wanted to do it, I almost did it lots of times, but I always chickened out. The Surface is a real scary place most of the time."

"And there's no one who's gonna miss you?"

"Yeah. Well, except for Mom, of course," he says with a meager but growing spirit.

"I wish there was more I could do than say sorry. It must be awful for you, being so sad down here and up there. Talk about a real raw deal." She rests her head against his shoulder and Frisk welcomes her.

"Hey, it's not all bad. I met a real nice old goat lady in the Ruins. She was amazing, and so caring and really sweet. I'm going to come back for her. And hey, I got to meet you, too. That more than makes this whole thing worthwhile for me."

"Ahh, now you're just trying to butter me up." She squeezes his nose after searching for it; her claws tickle him. "And I gotta say, Frisk, you got guts. Leaving home like that all on your own with no one else to help you on the whole Surface... You're one heck of a kid."

"Well, I wasn't 100% alone. I had to save my allowance for weeks to afford a bus ticket to come here. I didn't really know what I was doing and I was scared the whole time. Luckily this guy in a fancy pants blue suit was super helpful. He gave me directions and kept me company all the way to Ebbott so no one would wonder what a kid was doing all on his own. His eyes were creepy, but he was super nice. I needed all the help I could get to get away, so I didn't complain."

"To find your Mom, right?"

"Yeah. She's at Ebbott, and I have to find her there. It's the only other place I can go to. She couldn't have picked a better place. Ebbott is the bestest place I've been to. The air is so clean, the town has so much stuff, and the people are a lot nicer. They even got a big lake that's great for swimming and the forest is perfect for camping. I wish I could stay there forever." Frisk says with longing, while a piece of him scoffs at his words.

"Tell me more about her?"

"Mom? She's perfect. The best person I've ever met. I don't know how she does it, but she always finds ways to make everything special. Even when things are already great, she's always looking for a way to make them better and to make me happy. You could have the worst day in the world and forever, and she'll find a way to make you smile or laugh. When I grow up, I want to be just like her." Frisk says in a dream like stupor, mistaking Maribel's wing for a human hand behind his closed eyes.

"She sounds amazing; must be wonderful to have someone like that."

"Well, I wish Mom gave me a different name. Frisk… Never liked that name, but it's the name she wanted for me."

"Wow, now there's a laundry list. But honestly, you must be real lucky to have someone like her. I hope you'll be happy when you find her."

"Me too. Once I find her, everything will be great again." He says his mood growing content as Maribel sits next to him.

"You know Frisk. My mom was the one who taught me how to see with my ears. She would take me to the caves every day, where she would teach me how to scream, listen for the sounds, and how to use them to know where I was going. It wasn't easy, Mom didn't have a lot of patience, and I didn't make it easy for her, either. I screwed up lots of times and a few times she would get mad and give up," she recounts, and her wing tightens around his hand.

"But she never really gave up on me. One day she took me to a cave and left me behind, she told me to follow my ears. That was one of the only times when I was really scared. I was all alone and I thought I was going to be alone forever. Then I heard her singing to me. Her voice was so sweet and nice. It took me awhile, but I was able to find her all on my own, and when I found her, she gave me a big hug and said how proud she was of me." Her voice grows increasingly tired and somber, yet Frisk dares not interrupt her after all she's done for him.

"After that, I never had any problems seeing. Every time it gets hard, all I gotta do is follow Mom's voice and I'll know where to go. And thanks to her, I know I can get there on my own," she speaks with a tired yawn.

"She sounds really nice, too."

"She really is. Moms are like that. And Dad most of the time too. I hope you can see that soon... like me..." She says and goes limp.

"Yeah, where is your mom any-?" Frisk receives a snore as an answer and Maribel rests against him like a pillow, her wings like a blanket. "Aright, you can have that." Frisk, says and after a long day with so much activity, he settles for being a makeshift bed for her to sleep upon. He relishes in the warmth of her comforting presence.

Meanwhile, outside the closed door, eavesdropping with his impressive ears is Francis. He gazes at the red glowing crystal in his hand. "What would you do, Mary?"

He pauses to sink his head along with his heavy heart and a mountain of thoughts. "Has it really been that long? Of course I know what you'd do. You'd take a chance, and if you could take a chance on a lousy lame bat like me, then I can do this, too." Francis leaves to prepare for his human guest.

\- A Few Hours Later -

Frisk gazes through Maribel's window as the lights of Snowdin Town dim one by one in the distance. Under normal circumstances, Frisk would join Maribel in slumber land, but he does not have the luxury of normal circumstances and he could not afford to let this opportunity slip through his grasp.

_Everyone should be sleeping now._ Frisk turns to Maribel, who slumps across the wall, clinging to a stuffed animal she assumes to still be Frisk. It was a struggle to escape her grip without waking her; even in her sleep, she would not let go. After a long while, he had managed to escape her hold and brought her a replacement. Now he crouches and gazes deep into her face, his heart tender and eyes moments away from crying.

He cannot believe he used to be afraid of her and even more so that he does not wish to leave her. As difficult as the feat is, he leaves her room and quietly goes down the staircase. _Don't worry, this won't be goodbye._

As he walks, Frisk cannot help but wonder what he will find. Even if Francis is still awake, Frisk is confident he will not stop him from leaving his home. He does not know what Francis may have done since he left, but he is ready for whatever he has planned as he reaches the final step and enters the living room. To his confusion, there are countless books tossed and lying about the ground, like some great massacre of novels.

"Leaving so soon, Human?" Frisk turns to find Francis lying against his now far more empty bookcases. Piles of books surround him like a small fort. Frisk dares not meet his eyes, simply turning to the exit.

"Yeah. Must be nice to finally get what you want. Oh, and don't worry; Maribel is safe sleeping upstairs." Frisk moves to the exit.

"So, you still intend to leave. I hate to tell you this, human, but there is no way to escape the Underground. There is a-"

"The Barrier. Yeah, I already know about it. Another evil human thing made by evil humans like me when we can't do magic. Don't worry, I'll deal with that when I get to it. And after that, you won't have to worry about evil humans like me." Frisk says as he approaches the exit before a trembling Francis reaches the exit before him.

"Uhh... listen, I really don't want to do this. Just let me go and I promise not to bother you anymore." Frisk says as frozen worms slither around inside him. Meanwhile Francis does not move, holding his ground as his being shakes and trembles before Frisk.

"An interesting proposition; tempting, as well. But I would rather have your company for now. Please, come and join me, human." Francis invites him to the table with his wing.

"And why should I do that?" Frisk asks as the exit now lies empty before him.

"You don't have to. You can leave if you like, but if you leave, then everything here will remain the same. You will be alone, Maribel will be upset at me, and I will still be the same. But perhaps things do not have to be like this, if you stay. Perhaps we can change things." Francis says, almost pleading with his small and weak voice. With a sigh, Frisk joins him at the table as he takes a seat. Francis pours water into two glasses before joining him at the table. Frisk waits until Francis takes his drink first, only then does Frisk quench his thirst.

"Let us be honest with one another. I believe you are a threat to us, human. Biding your time until you can strike us down when we least expect it."

"Really? Well, I think you're the politest and smartest jerk I've ever met. For a monster, you sure do know how to fight someone without actually fighting. Probably waiting for me to lower my guard so you can bite my neck and suck out all my blood."

"I suppose I can understand why you- wait a moment, what? That sounds disgusting; where did you get an idea like that? We're fruit bats; we don't drink blood."

"I saw it in a movie once. What makes you think I'm a threat? I'm just a kid, for Pete's sake."

"I don't know who this Pete is, but I read about you humans in many books, and let's just say, your predecessor did not make many friends."

"My who?" Frisk wrinkles his eyebrow, his mouth gaping in confusion.

"Ahh, never mind that now," Francis says while rubbing his forehead with his claws. "I simply wish to ask you two questions."

"Why do you even care? Don't you want me to leave before I go crazy and hurt someone?"

"Yes, I do. But she cares a great deal about you, and I care about her. She sees something in you, human, something no monster has seen in many lifetimes. I need to know if I can see it as well. Answer two questions, and I will allow you to leave in peace. I can even lure Papyrus away from his post, if you like." He says, and Frisk must be honest, he is both curious and enticed by the offer.

"Fine; what's your questions?"

"How was your day, human?" Francis says, and he is taken aback by both confusion and the gall.

"What? You're seriously asking me that?"

"Yes. How was your day, did you have a good time?" Francis says in a weak murmur.

"Good time? Oh yeah, I had a great time today, Mr. Francis. Getting to hang with Maribel was a dream come true; I always wanted to go to a friend's house. And everything else was great too. I especially loved the parts where kid monsters play games where I'm the bad guy, kids play with toys where I'm the bad guy, and kids read books that say I'm the bad guy..." Frisk wants to shout, but doesn't to avoid waking Maribel, however he cannot whisper either.

"Now I get to go back outside with every monster and just hope they don't realize I'm human, while actual dogs hunt me down like a dog. And I get to play this game of hide n seek all the way from here to the Barrier if I want to go back home, which might not even happen. So yeah, I'm having the bestest day ever. Thank you, sir, for making it better by-" Frisk stops as he notes Francis flinching away from him.

"You get the point; can I go now?" He asks, and Francis regains his composure.

"Almost, second question. Are you happier now in the Underground or before on the Surface?" This question makes less sense to Frisk than the first one. He is ready to say no, until he searches deep into his memories: seeing himself and Toriel bake a pie, learning magic from Sans, and flying across the cave with Maribel. While he could recall many awful experiences, they could not supplant the good in his mind. These memories make him smile and warm.

"You know what? As crazy as this sounds, I am happier," Frisk says, almost surprised by his words. "Is that all you wanted?"

"Yes, I think I understand now. I never thought of things that way. Thank you for telling me. You may leave now, if you like, or you can spend the night with us, if you like. I promise not to disturb you or to make your stay with us unpleasant." Francis returns to the bookcase and Frisk decides to ignore what curiosity did to the cat.

"What's going on here? I mean, this whole time, you couldn't stand me, and now you want me to stay. What's your deal?" Frisk asks and Francis takes a seat in his rocking chair with a book in his wing.

"My deal, you wouldn't understand. You are far too young and far from ready for my deal, as you call it. Come back when you are older."

"Ahh, come on, I think I can handle it. You understand me from two questions, apparently. Answer my question so I can do the same." Francis slightly rises out of his seat.

"You do not know what you are talking about. When you take my deal, it changes everything about you and your life. Your life as you know it, no longer belongs to you," Francis says, his voice firm and strong.

"Right now, you can do whatever you please, but this deal takes all of that away from you. You can't wake up whenever you like. You can't leave whatever you want anymore. And you can't do whatever you want anymore. And unless you can part from a piece of your own soul, there is no going back." Francis speaks in way that commands the room and Frisk shrinks before him.

"Some are never ready for this deal, others simply never crave it, and there is no shame in those choices. Taking care of your own soul is hard enough, there are so many things you must do and countless more ways it can all go horribly wrong. Caring for a second piece is like carrying a second mountain on your back. You need to prepare the right food, keep the right boundaries, show the right pastimes, teach the right lessons, and you have to stay there, holding her wing while she dies on that doctor's bed." His voice starts to crack.

"You have to tell her everything is going to be alright. You keep her company while she sleeps. You do everything you can so she can have hope. That's all you can do, because you don't know anything. You just have to stand there, smiling that stupid smile; helpless to do anything. You want her pain to stop, but you can't do anything. You just stand there and watch and hope you don't have to say goodbye. It's so easy to leave but you stay, you promise to never leave her side, to always keep her safe. Even when she doesn't like it, you never leave her or stop helping, no matter how much it hurts. You have to be there for them." Francis finishes with tears before taking a long pause.

"I didn't think I was ready to take the deal, but when I did, I gave up everything for them. And I never looked back. So… still think you can handle it?" Francis finishes and Frisk struggles to speak, overwhelmed by his words.

"I-I don't know what to say. Why do you do it?" Frisk asks, desperate to learn.

"Why? I can only speak for myself; but for me, it's all worth it to see Maribel smile. Knowing she is happy and well, that's all I need to get through the day."

"Being a mom or dad… I never thought how hard that kind of deal is. But you wanna know the funny thing, I actually know a lot of what you're talking about." Frisk starts to cry, but is touched by his words. Amazed by how much Francis is willing to do for Maribel. To know how much a father is willing to do for their child and why, it breaks and mends his heart at the same time.

_Why wasn't I good enough for you?_ Frisk thought.

"I know, which is why I want to apologize to you, Frisk." The sudden utterance of his name bites him and Frisk looks into Francis' eyes, no longer afraid of their gaze. "Someone was supposed to care, love, and raise you; but you had to do those things for yourself. Someone made a deal with you and they broke it."

"Yes, he did," Frisk says, his voice broken by tears and sniffs, until Francis wipes a tear away from his eye.

"I thought you abandoned your family because you were human; I didn't think he was the one who abandoned you. I am so sorry that happened to you, I am sorry for what I've done and said to you. And while I am not him, allow me to apologize for him. Because if you are good enough for Maribel, then you should be good-" Frisk interrupts his words with a hug, needing to be embraced by a father. Francis completes the favor by wrapping him in his wings.

They remain like that for the longest of times and Frisk finds the sadness and fear in his heart disappearing. Eventually when they separate, their eyes locking with each other, both fill with remorse and regret. A great pain being overcome with relief in their shared company.

"I'm assuming your father wasn't the best."

"No, he wasn't. He was just there, and that's it. Just there. I don't know why he even bothered trying?" There is no warmth or life to his voice, as cold and empty as his soul once was, his words may as well not exist. He returns his attention to Francis with a meager smile. "I wish he was more like you. To be honest, I'm really jealous of Maribel."

"Jealous? I believe she is the one who envies you. You can walk from the Ruins and come to New Home all on your own, while she can scarcely escape my watch."

"Well, sir, you can be a bit pushy." Francis chuckles.

"You are being too kind, Frisk. I know how Maribel feels and what she wants. For me to be her father and not her handler; that's part of the deal. Most days, it brings out the best in you, but if you are not careful, it can bring out the worst in you. I hope Maribel can forgive me for being an idiot."

"If you already know all that, why don't you do it?" Frisk asks as he dabs his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater.

"You think being a parent comes with an instruction manual? Half the job is making stuff up as you go along. I wish it was easy, but it gets harder every day. The older they get, the more they can take care of themselves. You think it would make things easier, and it does, but it also makes things harder. The more they have themselves, the less they need you. You can't stop it, and you shouldn't try to stop it; it's inevitable. But they're still a part of your soul and you love them. You want to protect them from the things you're afraid of, but one day, you must accept they have to protect themselves." He turns to Frisk, where a sudden realization hits him.

"It hurts, but that's the day you can be the proudest of them: when they overcome your failures and conquer your fears." His eyes linger on him until Frisk realizes what is happening.

"Wait! You were scared of me!" Frisk is genuinely surprised, believing himself to be the least terrifying thing in the whole underground.

"Indeed. I was a child like you, once. I played those games, I read those stories, and I grew up believing Humans would one day return and turn us all to dust. When I saw her with you, I thought the day had come at last. When she called you friend, I thought this was some elaborate trick you were playing on us."

"I would never do that to Maribel!" Frisk insists, but a piece of him is uncertain about those words.

"I know that now, and I am sorry it took me so long to get the message. Amusing; I am supposed to be the old and wise one, but I guess you children can still teach us adults some lessons from time to time. Thank you for teaching me, Frisk. I will never forget this lesson," he says, and a smile comes across Frisk's face, no longer seeing the monster, but Maribel's father Francis, with a growing burning campfire in his soul.

"You wanna know something funny? I was scared of you, too, sir. I was scared of all monsters; when I first came here, I cried like a big baby when I ran into Froggit. Oh, please don't tell Maribel that; she'd never let me live it down."

"Afraid of me… I don't think anyone has ever been afraid of me. The other children would call me a coward for never leaving my home. I preferred the company of books; they always seemed less intimidating." He spreads his wings to the books scattered about the floor.

"You know, I was never a big fan of books." Frisk picks up a book and holds it up to Francis. "But there's a first time for everything."

"Indeed there is. Would you mind helping me pick these up?" He rubs Frisk's head, messing up his hair in a playful manner, and inside Frisk's chest, his heart dances with joy.

"I'd love to, Mr. Francis, sir." With a mutual nod, they collect books from the floor and return them to the shelves one by one. Aside from the occasional glance, Frisk never finds himself frozen by Francis' penetrating stare. Working together, they restore the mess to an organized and orderly shelf of books. Only one book remains out. Francis insists they will all enjoy it and Frisk could not wait to learn what the story was.

Any idea of leaving to bypass Papyrus is now a distant afterthought; lost in his excitement, he drops a book and a photo slides out of the pages. Frisk retrieves the picture and his heart leaps when he sees a baby crying Maribel wrapped in blankets. He wants to tease Maribel over her baby pictures, at least until he sees the one carrying her. It isn't Francis, but a female fruit bat monster. Smiling and overjoyed to be carrying baby Maribel in her wings.

_Oh, this must be her Mom!_ Frisk must be honest; even for a fruit bat, she is very attractive with her beady red eyes. _Umm… where is she?_

"Excuse me, Mr. Franics; I found something here." Frisk takes the picture to Francis.

"What is it Fri- Oh, thank goodness you found it! I thought I lost it for good." Francis snatches the picture away from Frisk's hand and scurries to a random ornate shelf where there is an empty spot. He places the picture into a frame and sets the glowing red crystal in a small container. He stands them together side by side, so the crystal can bath the picture in a constant light.

"So that's Maribel's Mom, right?"

"Yes, my indomitable Mary. She was quite a monster, so stubborn and forward; I could never win an argument with her. Her tongue was sharper than her fangs, and was always ready with her high wit or cheap puns. She got so adorable whenever she got angry, her hair would puff together and her eyes got so big you could drown in them. Beneath all that, she had a kind and loving soul."

"She sounds a lot like Maribel," Frisk adds, and notices her suspicious absence. "Where is she? I haven't seen her at all," Frisk asks, but Francis remains silent before the photo, staring into it as if Frisk is not present and a bad thought invades his mind. "Have you two broken up? I know that happens sometimes when moms and dads don't get along."

Francis remains silent. "If only I could be that lucky." Francis' words send a deathly chill down Frisk's spine. "Let me tell you a story."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"But I do want to tell you. It will help you and me. So please listen; I promise it is a nice story," he says with a voice that manages to be both happy and sad at the same time, taking all of Frisk's attention.

"The first time I met her, I was walking home from school with my books, minding my own business. When *swoosh!* she just flies over my head and I drop to the ground. Most bats can't fly until our teenage years, our wings just aren't strong enough and here she is doing it like it was no big deal. I dropped all my books. Some of the other kids were laughing or trying to help, but I couldn't take my eyes off her." There is deep astonishment and longing in his voice.

"For five years, I thought she didn't know I existed. Then, one day, I tried to fly. I climbed up a tree, tried to fly off it, and I crashed into the ground. Everyone laughed at me; I wanted to run away and hide. Then she picked me up and I saw she wasn't laughing at me. She said if I wanted, she would teach me how to fly, and I said yes. I did want to fly, but I wanted to get closer to her too."

"Over the weeks, I would try and fail over and over again. She had to save me lots of times, and eventually she gave up. I was mad at her at the time, but looking back, I couldn't blame her. But I was persistent; I asked her to give me one last chance. She agreed... and I screwed up again. It hurt disappointing Mary like that, and I thought I would never see her again." The pain comes through in his voice.

"I shouted at her that she could give up if she wanted, but I would never give up. Next thing I knew, she came back and said she liked that about me. I might be small and scared, but I don't give up on myself or on other people. She said she wanted to be more like that, so she said as long as I don't give up, neither would she. Hearing her say that made me so happy. I flew the very next day with Mary right next to me. She was so beautiful that day," he says with high spirits and pride, but it dims the longer he speaks.

"We couldn't be happier, and we've never let go since that day. Not when she asked me to the anniversary festival as her date. Not when she asked me to marry her. And not when she handed Maribel into my wings." His voice winds into a dying whimper, his eyes breaking into tears. "Not ever."

"I'm so sorry, Francis." Frisk grabs his back to comfort him, his own voice breaking. "It must be awful not having Mary around anymore."

"It never gets any easier. I miss her so much. But I still have Maribel, as long as she is around, then I still have Mary. I gave her that name, you know; the more she is like Mary and the less she is like me, the better. "

"Maribel has got a bit of you in her, too, and I think that's great. She didn't give up on me, either." Francis faces Frisk, his spirit and face uplifting.

"You mean on your trip through the caves. Thank you for taking care of her there. Mary would have been proud to meet you. I wish she could be here now." Francis says as he examines the red crystal on the makeshift shrine. "I used one of these crystals to make her wedding ring; never thought I would see another one again. Thank you so much for bringing it to me."

"No problem. I would have loved to meet her, too. You don't have to answer, but how does the story end?" Frisk asks, and silence consumes Francis as he stares down at Frisk with a trembling stare. The absolute terror on his face could not be missed, not even if he was blind. It radiates off of him like crashing tidal waves. He does not answer, but Frisk already knows.

"Wait, you mean a human did it?! But how?!" Frisk asks, both regretting his answer but now desperate to know.

"Your predecessor… the human who fell before you did, his name was Clint. He came here a few years ago. Mary was coming back from the caves on an errand, and he... he… he took her away from us." He collapses from the pain. Frisk helps him to stand as best as he can, not an easy task as Francis is overcome with grief and is heavy.

"I only saw him once before Asgore captured him, but it was too late for Mary. Maribel was so young when it happened; she didn't understand. I tried my best to calm her, but I didn't understand, either. For the longest time, I didn't care. Mary was gone, and she didn't deserve to die!" Francis finishes and it all makes sense to Frisk now.

Why the monsters are afraid of him, why the monsters are so dead set on capturing him, why there is a law to capture all humans. He knew from Toriel that humans came before him, but he assumed they were innocent like himself. The realization that they, or some of them, killed monsters, changes everything he thought he believed to be the truth.

Now he is paying the price for their choices. His fear of Monsterkind dies away in that instant of realization. "But perhaps he was afraid like you and-"

"No. It shouldn't matter how scared he was, that doesn't justify killing someone for no reason." He turns Francis around and brings him down to look into his eyes. "What happened to Mary was wrong and that never should have happened. She should still be here with you and Maribel. And I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will never ever hurt Maribel or any monster." Frisk declares and a smile comes across Francis' face.

"You really mean that?"

"Yes, I do, and I always keep my promises." Frisk sticks out his hand to shake his wing and seal the deal.

Instead, Francis smiles as he rubs Frisk's head in a friendly manner. "Well, if humans and monsters can become friends, then any miracle is possible."

"I agree!" Both Frisk and Francis flinch as Maribel shouts and runs into the living room, flying up to throw herself at her father to swing like a maypole before he places her beside Frisk with no hesitation.

"Sweetie, I thought you were asleep!"

"Yeah, me too."

"C'mon, Frisk, you can't hide from my ears; and don't worry, once I run out of mileage for you being scared of Froggit, I promise to stop making fun of you... at least a few months after that," she teases and chuckles, making Frisk fluster before returning to senses.

"Maribel, I'm sorry about your mom. I had no idea she was... I just don't know what else to say but sorry," He says with his head dropped to the floor, until Maribel lifts his head so he gazes at her smile.

"Frisk, I'm not going to blame you for something a different human did. What that kid did was... was… real messed up." Her voice stutters and she looks away from him with a tearful frown; however, her spirit returns as she gazes back at him.

"But you're not him; you're so much better than him. And if Mom was here, I know she would love ya, just like I do." She takes Frisk into a deep hug, and he must be careful to not break her into two. After a long moment, they break apart and stand side by side with Francis awkwardly standing there. Frisk mentally removes himself as father and daughter stare at each other with a pause that surpasses him in both length and awkwardness.

"Maribel, sweetie. I don't know what to-"

"You already said all of it, Dad. I know this wasn't going to be easy on you. But I wanted you to see that not all humans are bad and Frisk really is my friend." She takes his wing into her wing. "I appreciate all you do for me, Dad, I really do. But I'm not a little girl anymore and sometimes I wonder if you just don't see me," she says and Francis couches to join them by taking her wing.

"Of course I see you, sweetie. I am sorry for my foolishness. You are an extraordinary, kind hearted, and wonderful little girl and I have to accept that. I forget what Mary told me: 'We have to get her ready for the day she doesn't need us anymore.'" He has a broken voice, and Maribel hugs him.

"Dad, I'm always going to need you. I love you, you big silly head. Even when I'm all grown up, that's not going to change." Frisk stands aside to allow them this moment. "And I need you, too, Frisk; get in here!"

"Come along Frisk," Francis says. With tears of joy, Frisk joins the makeshift family hug, finding himself cocooned in a bundle of wings. A moment he wishes could last forever, had it not been for his desire to add one more figure to this group.

_So this is what it's like. Mom, I hope you'll be ready, because we're gonna do this every day._ Frisk thought as every fear, every moment of dread, and every nightmare scenario in his heart vanish in an instant. Not even his confrontation with Papyrus could drag this moment down for him. The lingering threats of Undyne and Asgore become little more than pieces of lint in his pocket. Only Flowey stubbornly refuses to stop tormenting his soul, but for this moment, he could drown that wild flower away as they separate.

"I'm so happy we're finally together!" Maribel cheers.

"Me too!" Frisk replies. "Thanks for asking me how my day was, Mr. Francis, sir."

"I had to know, after everything that's happened. And I am glad that we all got to know each other a little better. Speaking of which, I found something I think we can all enjoy together." He reveals the book in his hand. "Took me quite a while to find it, but I know you two will love this story. It has a happy ending." He says and both Frisk and Maribel cheer, both in need of a happy ending after everything in this long, exhausting day.

"Well, time for bedtime, children." With those words they run off to the staircase. "Wings and hands on the staircase railing, and remember to walk."

"Dad, didn't we just have our big moment?"

"Yes, we did, but I'm still your father and I still don't want to see you get hurt." He says with a smug smile. "If it makes you feel better, we can lay down some new ground rules tomorrow."

"Okay, Dad. C'mon, Frisk." She takes Frisk back up to her room and Frisk snickers.

Already the atmosphere is different, as Francis keeps a respectable distance and even allows him to stay at Maribel's side. Even allowing Maribel to make her way up the steps and open her own door. When they enter, Maribel climbs her wall to hang from her stalactite while Frisk rests on the cold, hard stone floor. Relief showers over Frisk when Francis enters with a pillow and blanket for him to use.

Once both children settle in, Francis sits on a stool and pulls out his book. "Okay, story time, and then you go off to sleep. Took a while, this story was so buried and this book is so old. But I'm sure you two will enjoy it. The Princess and the Human."

_Once upon a Time, The Kingdom above the mountain stood alone amidst Dark Times…_

"I thought you said this was a happy story," Frisk comments.

"I said the ending was happy; all good stories start off sad or turn sad. If the story was happy all the way, then there would be no story. Now, where was I?" Francis says.

_Surrounded by Fiends and Foes, the Monsters could not leave this place, but here all Monsters found a Home where they could all be Friends and Family._

_As their homes disappeared one by one, the Monsters knew their greatest shield would be secretly. Should they discover their new home, all hope would be gone._

_For a long time, Monsters believed they would be safe and their days would become filled with peace and prosperity._

_Then one day, a Monster Girl came to the Kingdom with one of T_ _hem…_

_The Monsters wasted no time in preparing to care for the girl and to capture the boy, however to their surprise the monster girl pleaded for them not to harm her friend._

_The Monsters were confused, but remembered the many lies They told them and the price the monsters paid far too many times for those lies._

_They refused to be fooled again…_

_Despite their tears, the two were taken away from each other, one to a home to grow and the other to a cell and await a trial, to be forever apart._

_Yet every day the monster girl would visit the boy and none could stop her, not her guardians, not the prison guards, and not even the Royal Guards could keep them apart._

_One day, The Prince of the Kingdom, grew infatuated with these rumors and came to visit the girl to learn how she became friends with one of Them._

_The Monster Girl told the Prince her story of how she lost everyone, how she found him, how he betrayed her, and how in the end they saved each other. The Prince's heart was so moved by her tale, he resolved to help her._

_In the heart of night, while the Kingdom slept, the Prince tricked the guards away and the girl took their keys to unlock the cell to free her friend. They would help the boy escape from the Kingdom so he could be free and live._

_However, the boy refused to leave, no matter how much the girl and Prince argued. He refused to leave his one and only friend behind. He would rather stand trial and die than never see her ever again._

_On the day of the trial, the boy was taken before the entire Kingdom and was sentenced to death for the crimes of his people towards Monsterkind._

_The boy accepted his fate, and so did the Monster Girl when she came to his side. She insisted if her friend would die, so would she. His Red Soul and her White soul floated together side by side. All witnessed the shining of their souls, a true miracle, the Queen above all others._

_The Kingdom bore witness to the bond and ties of these two, despite all their differences and history, they stood together as Friends. Where many once stood, they bowed away in the face of their friendship._

_Some remained unconvinced and many worry his presence could invite their enemies to come and find their final refuge. That is when the Prince emerged. He pleaded to the judge, his father and King, to spare the boy and promised on his honor and name he will not betray them._

_With the word of his Son and Plea of the Monster Girl, the King reversed the verdict and thus the boy became the first honorary Monster of the Kingdom above the Mountain._

_The boy, monster girl, and the Prince could not have been happier. In the Months that followed, the three of them became inseparable as Friends. Everywhere one traveled, the others would never be far behind._

_In Years that came to be, they would become family._

_The Boy and Monster girl would come to call each other brother and sister._

_The Prince and Monster Girl fell in love and she would become a Princess._

_And thus, the boy became the first human prince of the Kingdom of Monsters._

"And they all lived happily ever after!" Francis says and quietly closes the book. "What do you think? I hope you liked the story."

"Dad, you ruined story time," Maribel says to their shared surprise. "There's no story in the world that's ever going to top that one. It's my absolute favorite now!"

"Yeah, that story is great. Sounds familiar, I think? But hey, it's great to have one story where Humans and Monsters get to have a happy ending together," Frisk says.

"Indeed; I found this book buried and tossed away in the capital library. It is very old, long before any of us. But I'm glad to have found it. It's a very nice story; I thought you would have appreciated it, hum- I mean, Frisk."

"Yeah, I really did. I'm sure there's plenty of stories where humans and monsters are friends," he says in disbelief.

"There might be one or two."

"Well, now there's three! And ours is the best of them all!" Maribel says as she knocks on his head from above. Frisk tries to return the favor, but her height and position makes his effort a hilarious struggle. Both Francis and Maribel laugh when he gives up.

"Yeah I really like our story too. A story of two kids becoming friends."

"Frisk! How many times do I have to- ugh. Fine, you can have that one."

"Enough, both of you go off to sleep now. Today was a busy day, and I am sure tomorrow will bring much for us to bear."

"Thanks again for helping Frisk, Dad."

"Yeah, I really appreciate it, sir."

"Ah, that reminds me, Monster guest privilege endures as long as the guest wants. How long would you like to stay Frisk?" He asks, and Frisk finds himself surrounded by smiles, ones he does not wish to turn upside down.

"I hate to be a buzzkill, but I still gotta move on. But I'll keep that in mind; if I ever need a place to come to, it's nice to know that I can come here."

"You're always welcome here, Frisk," Maribel says sadly.

"Don't worry, Maribel, I promise I'll be fine," he says, knowing about the undead skeleton he will have to face tomorrow.

"I'll hold you to that, Frisk."

"Enough talk, no one is going to do anything without a good night's rest." Francis gives Maribel a kiss to her forehead and tucks Frisk into his makeshift bed. Francis leaves with the book, but before a final word.

"Mr. Francis, sir? Thanks for being a good Dad, and for the story," Frisk buries himself for a good night's rest.

"No problem, Frisk. Have pleasant dreams." Francis closes the door and sighs.

"Please," he whispers to himself. "Let them have their happy ending this time. Don't let them end up like the others." He returns his attention to the book, where his wing divides the book in half.


	17. Chapter 17: The Gallantry of Bravery

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 17

Art Cover Created by Kiralushia

* * *

"Nyeh heh heh! Do not worry, Monsters of Snowdin. Sleep soundly knowing The Great Papyrus guards over you all!" Papyrus shouts from the final pathway to the Underground's other regions. Papyrus stands against the frozen forest, striking a defiant pose and bold smile; a cold breeze sends his scarf soaring like a cape.

"All I must do now is wait and capture the human! I will finally join the royal guard! I'll be just as strong as Undyne and everyone will wish to be my friend!" His voice echoes into Snowdin Town, too lost in his imagination where he is surrounded by countless admirers.

"I hope the human will not have any hard feelings. He seemed so angry. But once he is captured, I know he will understand about how I, the Geat Papyrus will finally-!"

"Hey! Some of us are trying to sleep! Go to bed, Papyrus!" A voice shouts from Snowdin Town.

"My apologies, friend! But I must wait here until…"

"I heard you the first time! Just stay quiet! Jeez, why we do bother with you?" The voice says in tired resignation.

"Umm… Wonder if Undyne deals with things like this. OH…! I cannot wait to find out on my own! She's going to be so proud when I bring her the human!" Papyrus speaks in delight, returning to his pose and imagination.

He returns home after a long day of patrols. To his surprise, Monsters across the underground arrive to celebrate his promotion to the Royal Guard. Undyne is cooking food at his side, Asgore gives him his royal uniform and a hedge cut in the shape of his head, and even his father returns to make one final visit. Lastly, Sans is actually working, the most unrealistic thing in this fantasy, Papyrus notes.

However, all of them stand aside to reveal the guest of honor waiting for him at the end of the table. He arises from his seat to give him twin thumb-ups and the highest of congratulations. "Hey, Skeleton Kid! That was amazing man. I knew you could do it!"

Lost in his fantasy, Papyrus doesn't notice the approach of footsteps. "Hey, Paps." Sans emerges from Snowdin town.

"Sans! What are you doing here? Have you come to cheer me on as I confront the human in my finest hour? Well, you are welcome to do so brother."

"You and the human fighting each other. Yeah, that's what I want to see. A real sore-y sight. But I gotta say, bro, you seemed pretty chilled. You got a pretty marrow mind. Nothing gets under your skin, but I'm not sure if you got a leg to stand on." Sans speaks with a wink, and Papyrus wants to groan.

"Sans! Why must you keep making these insufferable puns? The human could be here at any moment," Papyrus shouts and stomps on the ground in a fit.

"Actually, that's why I'm here, bro. Turns out the human's spending the night with Francis and his girl. He won't be coming for a long while. Figured I oughtta bring ya home."

"I appreciate your effort brother, but I must wait here for the human. What if I'm gone and he passes through? We won't be able to have our fight."

"Wow that sounds terrible." His voice is loaded with sarcasm. "But really, Paps, you don't have to do this. You'll always be my number one guy and you know Undyne and the guards all love ya."

"Ahh, you don't understand, brother. I must do this. Once I become a royal guard, I will be strong enough to protect all of my friends and they will never be afraid to leave me."

"You keep saying that, but what do you mean, Paps?" Sans asks and Papyrus finds his breath stolen away, lost in recollection of days long gone.

"Oh, no one in particular," Papyrus lies.

 _And I will not fail this time._ Papyrus thought.

\- Many Years Ago -

"Sans! Sans!" A young Papyrus bangs on their bedroom door, so lost in his actions he does not notice the bangs given to his brother's skull.

"Stop it, Papyrus! What's going on?!" Papyrus takes Sans by his boney fingers and races them down the steps and across their living room to the exit. Papyrus' drive and speed double outside, charging them across an empty field of melting snow behind their home.

"Paps! What's got so you spooked!? Is there something wrong with Dad?" The concern is clear in his voice, no doubt dreading the worse. Not that it slows Papyrus' relentless pursuit.

"Wrong? Oh, no, brother, everything is perfectly fine. More than fine, I've finally done it and I wanted you to be the first to test it! Not that you will be able to solve... it?" Papyrus says with the highest of excitement before plummeting to the lowest of spirits, both brothers come to an abrupt halt at the sight before them.

"Get us down from here!"

"Someone, please save us!"

Two monsters shout as they dangle precariously from a tall tree, ropes attached to their knees and unsurprised frustration on their faces. The sight crushes Papyrus, his hands rush to grab and stop his jaw from falling in shock. "Oh no! This wasn't supposed to happen. No one was going to be hurt!"

"Papyrus! Of course it's you! Why wouldn't it be you?"

"Get us down from here! I'm getting sick!"

"Of course, friends! The Great Papyrus will save you and that means so will I!" Papyrus rushes to climb the tree, desperate to reach the top. The thickness and roughness of the tree makes the task difficult, but Papyrus does not allow it to slow him down. Until a sudden blue light stops him, followed by the sight of both monsters levitating to the ground with blue souls; Sans directing their descent.

 _Brother's Blue magic! How amazing; I wish I was as good as he was._ Papyrus thought with relief at their rescue, but disappointed for his contribution to their peril, and lack thereof in the rescue. With a sigh, he slides down across the tree, overhearing the praise and gratitude showering upon Sans.

"Please allow me to-" The monsters depart at the sound of his approach. "…Apologize. Uhh…" Papyrus is taller than his younger brother, yet he always feels much smaller than him. This time is no different, casting his skull to the ground and wishing he could bury it beneath the ground. Until an arm grasps his shoulder, inviting him to stare into his brother's eye sockets.

"Don't let them get to ya, Paps. They'll come around sooner or later." Papyrus smiles but doubt weighs heavily upon him. "But what were ya doing, Paps? You know better to make puzzles in town."

"I-I thought… if I made a puzzle grand and amazing enough, others would be impressed… and they would want to be my… friend." His skull falls again. "But I was wrong brother… Perhaps I will always be wrong." He says, the thought of being alone leaves him hollow and trembling.

"You can't give up that easily, bro. You gotta keep trying. I know you'll find your own best friend one day," Sans says with his wide grin and winking eye. "But you gotta be more careful with your puzzles, bro. What if dad found what happened?"

"I do not know, Sans. What do you think will occur if I learn what happened?" The voice sends chills down both the brothers' spines and they turn to face their father, Royal Head Scientist WD Gaster.

Thanks to his impressive height they must look up at him. His white humanoid skull looks down upon him, disappointment weighing heavily on his face and shrugged shoulders. His fine black suit is mostly visible under his wrinkled open lab coat, no doubt put on in a rush to find his sons. Their father is normally a welcome sight. Papyrus in particular likes it when light shines off his skull. He would have welcomed light in this moment of darkness.

Gaster's penetrating patient stare makes him sweat with an intense heat, no doubt formulating punishments inside his exquisite mind. Papyrus imagines Gaster taking him back to the Lab, a mountain of test tubes and beakers to clean with a tooth brush, alone. The thought terrifies Papyrus, but knowing the human is out of the bag, he marches towards Gaster with his skull hanging low to tell the truth.

"Hello, Father. I was making puzzles; truly amazing and magnificent puzzles! I know you would have loved them. I was going to show Sans… I didn't think anyone else would find them… But I was wrong. Guess you have to punish me now," Papyrus says, growing smaller and younger with each word, waiting for Gaster's response and fearing the worse.

"C'mon Dad, Paps didn't mean anything bad and no one got hurt. Go easy on him. He won't do it again." As usual Sans comes to his rescue. It brings a smile to Papyrus, having his brother's support. He wishes he could do the same for his brother, for he depends on him far too much and knows it.

"Yes, sir. I promise I won't make any more puzzles! At least not until I'm bigger and older like you. I promise with meatballs on top, cross my soul and hope to keep my soles clean." Papyrus says with a confident smile, making an X over his ribcage and kicking his feet back and forth.

Gaster remains silent and stolid for a few moments, leaving Papyrus dreading where the coin will land. With a crouch and smile, relief showers over him. "Very well then. Since you were honest with me and no one was harmed, I will allow this to pass. So as long it does not happen again."

Papyrus wants to celebrate and cheer, but a rain cloud descends over him, as his other puzzles lie in wait across Snowdin Forest. Mental images of entrapped monsters and Gaster's punishment flood his mind. He gulps heavily and grins nervously. "Of course, father, it won't happen again. You have nothing to worry about; yes, that's right, nothing to worry about at all."

"Good to hear, Papyrus, I will hold you to that. Now let us return home, boys; it will be night soon." Gaster takes both skeleton brothers by hand to make their return home. Every second and step comes over broken glass for Papyrus, losing time and moving further away from his renegade creations. Gaster takes them to their bedrooms to ready for bed, telling them he will be doing work tonight at home. He promises to cook spaghetti tomorrow if they behave. While normally an exciting prospect for Papyrus, it cannot alleviate his meager spirit. He knows what needs to be done, and he cannot do it alone.

"Are you kidding me, Paps? More puzzles?! You just told dad there wouldn't be anymore!"

"I know, brother. I was going to take you on a grand tour! Puzzles to confound your brain and challenge your bones. Every one better and grander the last and with all sorts of-" A snap of San's fingers breaks him out of his trance.

"Stay focused, Paps. You gotta stop those puzzles before anyone else finds them."

"I agree, brother, but what about father? I believe he would notice me disappearing." Sans gets off his bed, opens the window and travels to their bedroom door.

"Don't worry about Dad. You know how he gets when he works. But just in case, I'll tell him I can't sleep and wanna help him out. I'll make sure he stays busy. You focus on getting rid of those puzzles."

"My goodness, what a brilliant idea, Sans. I wished I thought of it." Papyrus climbs out the window and Sans takes control of him with Blue Magic and lowers him to the ground. The magic tingles deep inside his soul, almost tickling him.

"Yeah, my ideas are real grape. You pop them off and eat them one at a time. Just be careful Paps, you don't want to grate yourself on the way down." Sans says with a wink in his eye.

"Sans! Please no more puns." Papyrus begs as Sans lowers him to the ground.

"Don't worry, Paps, puns will be the least of your worries. Who knows? Dad might not use any yeast in the spaghetti tomorrow or maybe we'll lose the lease on our house."

"Sans!" Papyrus appreciates his brother's sense of humor, but wishes Sans put more effort into his actual jokes. Knowing there's a better chance of humans breaking the barrier, he reluctantly accepts them as he lands on the ground. Papyrus faces the surrounding forest as the darkness of the Underground grows. A sign that night is falling across the Surface. Hesitation takes him, since he must dismantle all his puzzles and undo all the work he's done. It saddens him, but Papyrus knows it must be done.

"Come on, the Great Papyrus will not be afraid. And that means I cannot be afraid either! I will destroy my puzzles and create them again, greater than ever before!" Papyrus declares and enters Snowdin Forest.

\- Some Time Later -

"Come down you handsome devil!" Papyrus tugs on a rope with half his strength to preserve the hanging puzzle. It's a makeshift cage to entrap challengers, but contains a collection of keys of different shapes, sizes, and shades of color. One can find the right key by realizing the cage's bars are made of the same material and color.

A precious puzzle, one Papyrus labored over for many days in secret, and must now remove.

"Don't be afraid, I will keep you and the others safe. Please come with me." Despite his effort, it wouldn't cooperate. With a resigned sigh and powerful yank, the cage tumbles down the tree and crumbles to pieces to his horror. A tremendous frenzy takes hold of him, desperate to collect the pieces scattered across the ground.

"Do not worry, little puzzle, The Great Papyrus will put you back together again. One day we will find a worthy challenger for you." Papyrus digs the pieces out of the muddy snow, carrying them with tender care and loving fondness in the deep serene silence of Snowdin Forest.

"Mercy! Aagghh!" The cry slices silence into pieces before shocking Papyrus' spine like a bolt of lightning. His puzzle pieces plummet to the ground as he collects himself and notes the cry's close proximity to him.

"Goodness, someone needs help." Papyrus gazes at the pieces lying at his feet. His mind leaps from place to place, unable to remain focused with the echoing cry in his head without end.

"The Great Papyrus would have saved them and so will I!" Striking a heroic pose, Papyrus abandons his puzzle and charges towards the cry's source. Expecting the best and sparing no second thought for the worse. He arrives to find no one in distress to save, no rewarding hug to embrace, and no smile for him to outmatch.

"Too late again." The absent silence leaves his skull hanging in disappointment, where a pair of foot prints lies in snow. There is one small and one large, the former charges ahead and the latter come to a sudden stop. With his excitement restored, Papyrus follows them whatever they lead and to whomever created them. The prints turn into the forest and hide behind a tree, where rapid gasps turn to anxious words.

"No te preocupes Arturo. No pueden lastimarme. Soy fuerte aquí abajo, no ellos! ¡Pero hombre! ¿Por qué tiene que estar tan muy oscuro?" Papyrus doesn't know what he's saying, but knows the sound of a terrified voice, one in desperate need of a friend to help them through the darkness.

"Hello, Friend! I am here to save you!" Papyrus shouts in a cheer, popping behind his hiding place.

"Aaggh! Muerto Esqueleto!" The Monster shouts and falls onto the ground before Papyrus. He is taken aback by the monster's abnormal appearance. He is almost as tall as his father, but far thicker. His chest balloons into a plump belly with thin arms and heavy thighs. Despite his large pale white T-shirt and dark brown pants, the monster is tan from exposed ankles to an unruly hairy black head where a worn bandanna wraps around his stunned face's forehead.

"I am so very sorry, friend. I did not mean to scare you like that. Here, allow me to-" Papyrus extends an open hand to help the monster return to his stubby feet, but the monster slaps his boney hand away and clumsily stands.

"W-what!? Me, s-sc-scared?! I-I not scared! And I ain't f-fa-falling for a ch-cheap trick like—wait… Did you say sorry?" The monster says with surprise on his face and confusion in his voice, a confusion Papyrus comes to share within his mind.

"Yes, I am sorry, I did not mean to upset you, friend. I heard your cry for help and-"

"You calling me a c-cr-cry b-baby? I-I'm not scared of anyone or anything! Y-yo-you better t-take that back, o-or umm… or I'll make you c-cry." The monster stands tall over him thanks to his immense trembling size. What's impossible for Papyrus to ignore is the monster's strange speech dialect. It's abnormally deep and hard, like a bad impression of someone far older than his youthful appearance implies.

"Very well, I didn't hear your cry for help. Even when you did cry for help."

"I-I'm not a Cry Baby! N-Now you better get g-go-going! Or y-yo-you'll dis-disappear too!" The monster raises his trembling fist between them. It's covered by a thick heavy glove for five fingered folks, along with gray snow dusting on the knuckles. Papyrus sighs in resignation, having heard this song and played this dance many times before. He hoped it would be different this time, but he is wrong again and is not interested in a repeat performance.

"Well, if that's what you want, I will leave you alone. Good bye and good luck to you." With a heavy soul and heavier skull, Papyrus leaves at a snail's pace. "I hope someone else more to your liking will come to help you."

"Help me? Yeah… maybe the cows will fly like birds. Now you're being funny. D-do-don't laugh at me, or… or I-I'll sm-smash your face in. Y-Yeah, that's right." The monster says in that strange voice, and silence falls between them as they move further away from each other.

"Hold on a sec, Ss-sk-skeleton kid. Maybe there's something you can do for me." That is all Paps needs to return within inches of the monster with his complete attention and an enormous grin. "Holy cow! You move f-fa-fast. Move slower next time!" The monster demands.

"I'm sorry friend, but is it true? You really need my help?!" Papyrus asks, bursting with delight.

"Y-Yeah…I gotta go Home and I want y-yo-you to come with me. A s-sk-skeleton kid like you will be a real b-bl-blast with the ot-other k-ki-kids. T-Th-they won't be able to say I wasn't here. So you be-better do what I say or I-I'll me-mess you-."

"Really you're inviting me to your house! Already! And we've just meet too! I would love to come to your house!" He shouts to the monster standing inches away from him. Mental images of play dates and hangouts flood his mind, with Sans joining them while Gaster looks on with pride.

"Wow? That was easy... C-con-consider yourself lucky you di-didn't have to meet my f-fi-fists." He says in that strange voice along with raising his trembling fists.

"I would love to meet them." Papyrus takes his fists and swings on them like a maypole, until the monster shoves him away with a pathetic push.

"Not like that! I mean a f-fi-fight. You know, fist a cuffs, epic duel to the end, the hero beats the villain and gets a trophy to prove everyone he was brave the whole time..." Embarrassment falls on his face and he chokes his words into stuttering silence. "Ah-h... Forget I said that or...um... I-I'll sm-smash your face! Y-You h-he-hear me!"

"I hear you friend, but why do we need to do all that? I don't want to fight you. Father always told me, I should never fight unless I have no other choice."

"N-Not fi-fight-fighting. Yeah ma-maybe in your dreams. The bravest people are always ready for a f-fi-fight. The bigger, the stronger, the be-better; and they always win. J-ju-just like me." The monster says with a flex that displays his nonexistent six-pack.

"I do not know if that is how Bravery works. Maybe you could help me understand, friend." Perhaps this is what he needs to learn to make friends, starting with the one before him.

"Oh, what is your name? I am Papyrus, and when I get bigger, I will become the Great Papyrus!" Papyrus asks and with a slow jerk is picked up off the ground by the monster via his sweater's neckline.

"You can call… c-ca-call me… call me." His voice dies in a dismayed sigh. "Arthur Lowe."

"How wonderful to meet you Arthur!" Papyrus welcomes his suspension with a hug around the monster. Eagerly looking forward to the moment they return to his home and the times they will share together as friends.

"Let go!" He demands in a gasping shout, gasps that continue after they separate.

"A-an-and d-do-don't you forget. W-wh-when get back to h-ho-home. I-I'm go-gonna be fa-fam-famous and everyone is go-gonna wanna be my friend." The monster returns to using that odd voice; tinged with uncertainly, broken by stutters, but sounding very familiar to Papyrus.

"Really! I have the same dream of making friends! This is wonderful! By working together, I am certain we can make our shared dream a reality!" He shouts with excitement, hoping Arthur will join him. Instead there is silence and disbelief on his face, and Papyrus ponders if he said or did something wrong, again.

"You say really funny things, you know, s-sk-skeleton kid. You better n-not be ma-making fun of me!" Papyrus readies to deny the accusation, but the opportunity is denied.

"Enough ta-ta-talk. We need to find a way out of this d-d-d...dar...dark- Ah forget it! Just move already! You know this place better, you lead! No tr-tricks or else!" The monster forces Papyrus ahead with painless pathetic jabs.

"Of course, now onwards we go towards adventure and friendship!" Papyrus cheers on as he marches ahead with the monster trailing behind. While he is a bit abrasive for his taste, Papyrus is overjoyed to have him as a friend and is confident they will be the best of friends when this is over.

They travel across the dark not quite as frozen forest of Snowdin, not that either upsets Papyrus. Lacking a sensory system, he could not feel the cold and is familiar with the trials well enough to get around. The same could not be said for the monster, shaking and shivering with every step. His eyes frantically scan near, far, ahead, around, and behind them; searching for what, Papyrus does not know.

Papyrus tries to get close to comfort him, but it upsets the monster every time. He forces him to march ahead of him with a comfortable distance between them. Yet whenever the gap grows too large, he demands his immediate return. The choices confuse Papyrus, leaving him in a daze as to what he could want. But Papyrus remains committed to support his new friend whenever the time demands it.

He does not have to wait long as he comes to halt, full of delight at the sight before him. "H-hey, I-I d-di-didn't tell you to s-st-stop."

"Oh my gosh! Look at this!" He shouts in utter glee at a line of spikes before them, blocking the path and a sign with three colored circles.

For as long as Papyrus could remember, he has always loved puzzles. The joy he experienced with them is only second to being with Sans and Gaster. From the creativity required to conjure a puzzle within his mind, the fulfillment that comes from creating it with his boney hands, and the challenging thrill of solving them. While Gaster taught Sans equations and probabilities, he and Gaster spent many hours going over the mechanics and mechanisms for producing puzzles, and he adored every second.

"Uhh… Not another one of these stupid things." The monster says and a verbal blade is shoved through Papyrus' spine, finding it unbelievable such dreadful words could be spoken out loud.

"What! How could you say that?! Puzzles are the bestest things in the Underground!" Papyrus says in a dream like stupor.

"Ahh… They make my head hurt and if you can't beat them. They h-hu-hurt you."

"Well, I cannot imagine a life or world without puzzles. Each one more marvelous and wondrous than the last and-" Papyrus is silenced with a shove to his back, pushing him into the puzzle's arena.

"Well, if you like p-pu-puzzles so much, you so-sol-solve it, then!" The monster demands and Papyrus could not have been any more excited.

"Really?! You'll let me solve the puzzle on my own?! Not even father lets me do that alone! Thank you so much, friend!" Papyrus declares to the monster's surprise, facing the puzzle with eager confidence. Knowing he has his friend's faith in his ability to solve puzzles; it fills him with joy and he will not waste it.

Papyrus approaches the puzzle, his mind races across countless solutions. The sign told him there are three buttons hidden beneath the snow, thanks to the temperature they're easy to find. While most would have followed the sign's pattern to find futility and frustration. Papyrus deuces the sign is inverted, meaning the buttons must be hit in reverse. His theory proves to be correct; the spikes disappear beneath the ground to open the way ahead to his glee.

"Nyeh heh heh. Whoever made this puzzle did not expect the Great Papyrus! Another puzzle defeated!"

"Yeah… I guess. B-bu-but you were t-to-too slow. You should have s-so-solved it f-fa-faster. If I was there, we would have finished so-soo-sooner." The monster says and Papyrus agrees.

"Umm… You are right. Another pair of eyes and legs would have allowed me to solve the puzzle much faster. Worry not friend, we will solve the next puzzle together!" Papyrus declares and rubs his hands together in an enticing manner. He hopes to find the same level of excitement on Arthur's face, instead the monster is confused.

"S-St-stop ma-mak-making fun of me." His words spread confusion to Papyrus, having no urge or desire to laugh. Before Papyrus can deny the accusation, the monster moves on and forces him to do the same. Spurred on by his encouragement, Papyrus moves on ahead to join him side by side. To his disappointment it does not take long before the distance between them returns.

Papyrus sighs, but is eager to find their next opportunity to share their company together; something the monster seems to have an equal interest in. Scanning and searching everywhere around him with shaking anticipation, never allowing him to stray far away in the growing darkness of Snowdin Forest. Despite being apart, Papyrus could not help but feel closer to Arthur. With a wide and bashful smile, they stumble across what Papyrus needs.

A frozen lake spread out before them in wide berth, barring all progress. Exposed bedrocks lie scattered across the lake, adorned with blue Xs. They all point to a thick sea of shrubby that surrounds them, but with a noticeable weak spot in the central tree line.

"Goodness, another puzzle! How splendid! This is our chance to work together and solve-" Papyrus almost charged across the pond to solve the puzzle. Until a yank pulls and holds him back. To his surprise, the monster marches ahead of him.

"I'll do it. I'm not s-sc-scared of pu-puz-puzzles." The monster says, shaking where he stands. Papyrus joins him, unable to contain his excitement as his bones dance with anticipation.

"How wonderful! Now you will see the joy of solving puzzles yourself!" With Arthur's first step, he slips and falls onto the ice, sliding across the frozen lake to one of the Blue Xs that turns into an orange circle, followed by an anguished groan that spurs Papyrus into action.

"Are you hurt, friend? Do you need help?" He tries to enter the puzzle.

"No!" The monster shouts and struggles to stand. "J-ju-just you watch Ss-sk-Skeleton Kid. I can do it, too."

"Very well, friend. Best of luck to you. I know that you can do it!" His words gain the monster's attention, facing him with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Papyrus is disappointed, but returns to an enthusiastic state as the monster reenters the puzzle.

Despite his encouragement, the monster struggles to solve the puzzle. The second attempt sends him gliding across the pond. On the fourth attempt, the monster learns all the Xs must be turned into Os. By the seventh attempt, Papyrus solved the puzzle thanks to the monster's trial and error while he struggles to stand. Papyrus continues to cheer on the monster's efforts, but by the tenth attempt, Papyrus decides enough is enough.

Papyrus enters the puzzle, ignoring his request and eager to assist him. He struggles to stand and walk across the slippery ice, but it does not detour him from reaching the fallen monster. "Do not worry, friend. I am on my way to help you!"

"Stop m-me-messing with me. I know you're not go-gonna help…" Papyrus slams into him, unable to stop his slide. He awkwardly reaches to grab and take a hold of the heavy and thick monster to his surprise. "Me?"

"Come along, friend! We will solve the puzzle together!" Papyrus uses Arthur's considerable size to steady himself, standing side by side with the monster.

"Wait you're actually helping… me?" Arthur speaks in surprise.

"Of course, friend; now follow my lead." They slowly move together across the frozen lake to the starting point to reset the puzzle. Knowing the pattern to follow, Papyrus steers the two of them across the lake from X to X in smooth and swift slides. Thanks to Arthur's size and weight, they are able to remain stable and stolid, allowing Papyrus to steer them in the right direction without falling onto the hard ice.

Even Arthur agrees, clinging tightly to him and follows his movements without question. Until they slide across the final X, turning all the orange Os green and revealing a passageway in the circle of greenery. Papyrus takes a position ready to race down the opening, when two hands cover his eye sockets.

"No! Don't go in t-th-there!" Arthur cries.

"This is the only way ahead. Do not worry Friend, there is nothing to be afraid of." Papyrus says.

"I'm not s-scared…" His words trail away as Papyrus slides them across the frozen lake, gliding into the dark forest. The ice path continues deep into forest, where their momentum carries them into soaring speeds with a brazen breeze. Papyrus bones tingle from their speed, laughing all the way as they penetrate the darkness of Snowdin Forest.

Meanwhile, Arthur's grip on him tightens and his voice rises. "Por Favor! ¡Hazlo parar! ¡Hazlo parar! ¡Hazlo parar! No quiero ver!"

"Open your eyes, friend! This is amazing!" The sea of trees, the blanket of melting snow, and growing glistening ponds come together to dazzle his sockets.

"No, I won't do it! I can't!"

"What's wrong friend! Are you afraid?" Papyrus asks with genuine concern.

"No! I-I'm not sc-scar-scared…" He opens his eyes and a smile creeps across his face as his voice soars to the ceiling. "Oh! Oh my gosh! Ha! HaHa! Wow…! Esto es asombroso!"

"See, friend! I knew you could do it!" They soar across with growing speed, gazing at the sights around them laughing all the way on this makeshift super slide. They stick their arms into the air, cheering at the tops of their lungs and rib cage. Despite not having a sensory system, exhilaration rises within him in thunderous waves of excitement, both from himself and Arthur's infectious jubilant cheers.

The ride ends when they hit a snow bank and fly into the air in cheering fits until they land in a field of snow. Papyrus digs himself out and runs to recover his buried friend. It takes effort and time thanks to his size and weight, but Arthur is pulled free of the snow. "W-Whoa that was so fun! Didn't think it would be fun. The d-da-dark is never fun."

"Yes, and I would not have solved it as fast without your help, friend! Thank you for joining me on this puzzle! It was an absolute joy!" Papyrus says with another of his grander grins.

"Yeah it was, glad to help… I guess?" Arthur says with an uncertain voice and face. "Hey, why did you help me, Skeleton kid?" His question confuses Papyrus.

"Why wouldn't I help you, friend? That is what friends do for each other and you can always depend on the Great Papyrus!" Papyrus makes a defiant heroic pose, his scarf flowing like a cape.

"But we just met. We can't be friends… You barely know me. I don't know you." The monster says. While it does lower Papyrus' spirits, it doesn't diminish them.

"Well, I would love to know you, Arthur!" Papyrus replies and eagerly awaits his friend's answer. The answer is prolonged silence to his disappointment, finding a cascade of faces from disbelief, admiration, uncertainty, guilt but all equally stunned. In time silent somberness wins over all the others.

"Ah, forget it. Let's just move on… We have to get out before it gets any d-da-darker." The monster trails away, but Papyrus follows him with eager haste.

"We do not have to worry about that, friend! But if you insist, we can move on together!" Papyrus walks alongside him. While monster's cold shoulder remains, he is less focused on enforcing the unwelcome distance between them. While they remain at arm's length apart, the darker Snowdin Forest becomes, the more the gap between them shrinks.

The Underground is a perceptual darkness thanks to the Mountain above, but scarce amounts of surface light manage to pore through the ground to reach them. A dim light which dies with the coming of night on the Surface, destroying the distance between them. Arthur clings tightly to him, his footsteps almost skipping as he moves. The action leaves Papyrus pondering about Arthur.

On one hand he could not have been anymore overjoyed to have him at his side. Yet he wonders why the bravest kid of his town acts so strangely. It does not bother him, as many also called him strange. As far he cares that already puts them in good company. But to say one thing and to act in another manner entirely, it leaves him with a puzzle he does not know how to solve. One which brings him closer to his friend, eager to find pieces or clues he needs to solve him.

"Do not worry, friend, once we reach Snowdin, I will introduce you to Sans and my father. Sans makes terrible jokes and father is very busy. But I know they will welcome you with-"

"Meet t-th-them?! B-b-ba-bad idea!" Arthur says in broken stutters, in between gasps for breath. "We have to keep going! Have to get out of this hole!" The monster demands, and again Papyrus is puzzled.

"But friend, we have a long night ahead of us and I do not know where you live. We will need to rest and I must tell father where I am going. If you are afraid, do not be. I know Father and Sans will accept you as my friend."

"I-I'm not a C-Cr-Cry B-Ba-Baby! How many times do I have to s-sa-say it S-Sk-Skeleton Kid! I'm not a-af-afraid!" The monster insists. That awkward deep voice returns with a vengeance, but the rapid stutters and gulps bring it deeper into the realm of farce. "B-Be-Besides Mami and Papi told me never talk to st-stra-strang-strangers."

"Oh, this is perfect. Once you meet Father and Sans, they will no longer be strangers. There is no greater joy than meeting strangers and turning them into friends."

"No! We have to keep g-go-going." The monster says and marches ahead, leaving Papyrus behind in another puzzle.

"But? Aren't I going to your house to meet your family and friends? They're strangers to me." Papyrus asks, the monster goes silent and stops after a few moments and steps.

"That's different. They just need to see you. You don't have to be friends with them." The Monster insists.

"But I would love to be friends with them."

"They won't give you a chance S-Sk-Skeleton Kid. They won't like c-cry b-babies like you. They only like brave k-ki-kids like me." His voice leaves no room for argument. Papyrus does not wish to doubt his friend. But he cannot believe a single word he said; he does not know any monsters like these.

"I believe you are overreacting, Friend. I'm sure they will give us a chance. After all, I like you, so why wouldn't they?" Arthur faces him with enormous eyes and hanging jaw, leaving Papyrus trapped within an unbreakable stare. It leaves Papyrus uncomfortable, until a smile struggles to appear across Arthur's face.

"Y-Yo-You… really mean that?" Arthur asks, his voice on the verge of shattering.

"Of course I do, Friend!" Papyrus says with cheerful confidence. "And I know my family will accept you too, and-"

"Fiend!" A powerful and booming voice echoes throughout Snowdin Forest, both Papyrus and Arthur freeze where they stand. "Coming here was your greatest mistake. Now you belong to me. There is nowhere for you to hide, but please… Feel free to run." The voice declares with intense satisfaction.

A banging noise fills the air, like a hammer smashing stone, repeating ad nauseum. It grows louder and closer with each passing second; the impact rings inside Papyrus' skull.

 _Oh, no! Does Father know about me? And why would Tony mention a fiend? There are no fiends…_ Papyrus turns to the empty space where Arthur once occupied. "Here?"

As the banging comes closer, Papyrus follows the footprints into a forest where Arthur squirms like a dying worm on the ground behind a tree. "Mami! Papi! ¡No quiero estar aquí! Ven a salvarme! ¡Por favor! Es muy oscuro! ¡No puedo ver y va a matarme!"

Papyrus has no idea what Arthur is saying, but knows Arthur is utterly terrified. Why, he does not know, but with Tony's banging he can hazard a guess.

 _He must be worried about getting into trouble with Tony. He is a tad bit harsh… But why is he so mad right now?_ Papyrus thought as questions bang around the inside of his skull, matching the bangs coming closer to them. His attention torn in every direction and he does not know what to do. All he can see is his friend cowering on the ground.

"Here, let me help you, Friend." Papyrus picks up a mud pie and brings it to Arthur. "Cover yourself in this, and Tony won't be able to smell you. But throw something to lure his nose away." Arthur gazes at the mud with a mortified face, gasping like starving for breath. But when eye meets eye socket, his dread disappears and he takes the mud to his face and body.

All the while, the banging continues and reaches over their heads.

"T-th-there might be n-no t-ti-time left. He's al-all-almost h-he-here." Arthur says as he rapidly baths in the melted snow and mud.

"Do not worry, friend; I know Tony. He and father are good friends. I will keep him busy until you are ready." Papyrus says with a confident grin.

"Y-Yo-you g-go-going to f-fa-face him!" His voice dies into a whimpering whisper.

"Of course, Friend. No problem at all." Papyrus marches out into the open and exposes himself for all to watch. He does not have to wait long for the banging to stop and the forest goes eerily silent. Papyrus searches in every direction for Tony, but there is no one and for a moment, he wonders if they are alone again.

THUMP!

Papyrus turns around to find a large, living, armored shadow. The figure crouches at his knees, but rises tall and mightily into the air. Wearing armor black as night, he is almost invisible, but his stature is imposing and undeniable. The only visible elements are the helmet welded in the shape of a human skull and broadswords kept at his holster. His eyes are hidden, but his gaze projects to ensnare any unfortunate to fall within.

"Hello, Tony! How wonderful to meet you out here." Papyrus says with an earnest but nervous grin and voice. The General addresses & approaches him in swift motion, removing his armored glove to reach his shoulder with his hairy hand.

"Papyrus? What in the Underground are you doing here?! Does Dr. Gaster know you're out this late at night?" General Anthony says with genuine concern. Papyrus does not know what to say. The exact truth is not an option, but he cannot bring himself to lie straight to the General's literal face. Instead, he settles for something in the middle.

"I am so sorry. I did not mean to be out this long. I was working on my puzzles. You know how things are, with all the pieces and clues and machines parts and connecting it all together. I was so focused I forgot about the time and… oh, this is so embarrassing, I got lost." Not entirely the truth, but not entirely a lie, either. Sans will no doubt collaborate, and as long as Gaster does not learn, he and Arthur will be in the clear.

General Anthony is silent for moments, stolid and unmoving, till he removes his helmet to reveal his hairy simian face and large brown eyes.

"While I love seeing our youth take an interest in puzzles, you must return home as quickly as possible, Papyrus. It is not safe now." His voice drips with commanding concern.

"What's wrong, Tony?" Papyrus asks and Anthony scans before placing his mouth to where an ear would be on Papyrus' skull.

"You are already here; you may as well know. Just do not tell anyone else until morning. Last thing we need now is a panic. There is a human in the Underground."

"A human!" His breath is stolen away and bones become lighter than air. Had it not been for his joints, he believes he would have collapsed to the ground in pieces.

Papyrus heard many tales of humans from Gaster. When he could no longer stomach those stories, Gaster promised not to tell him anymore. Sans always seemed to be more interested in humans anyway. Since then he never gave humans much thought, they always seem so far away on the other side of the Barrier. He never thought humans would ever come to the Underground. His dread is broken when Anthony tenderly grabs his shoulders and looks into his eye sockets.

"I can tell you are worried, and you should be. Humans are vile creatures that will not hesitate to strike you down. They need no reason to harm or to be cruel." Papyrus is aghast and would have collapsed had it not been for Anthony's reassuring hold.

"Do not worry, Papyrus. I am here now." Anthony arises like a rising flame, bright and powerful in the darkness. It reassures Papyrus to know General Anthony is here to protect him and Arthur from this renegade human.

"I will find this human and I will capture them. And they will know the mercy they showed to our…" His nose sniffs heavily. "Papyrus, are you alone?"

Papyrus curses his desire for physical contact, no doubt acquiring Arthur's scent at some point. His mind races to find an explanation, anything he could use to shield himself and Arthur. "I…I um… did run into someone a while… ago."

"Who is this person?" Anthony sniffs and stands, taking his sword into his hand and entering the forest with Papyrus in curious pursuit.

"Oh, no one special… Just a new friend I met in the Forest. He was going home, too."

 _Why is he going into the forest? There are no humans there and Arthur will be in trouble. But I can't stop him. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?_ Papyrus thought, helpless to do anything but watch from the edge of an invisible bottomless pit.

Anthony reaches the tree Arthur was hidden behind.

He puts his armored glove on again and reaches behind the tree.

In a swift motion he rips something from the ground like an unwanted scab.

"Hi Skeleton Kid." Papyrus falls to the ground looking back to find a trembling Arthur covered face to toe in thick mud and melting snow. If he didn't already know him, he would swear that he is a different person. Papyrus turns around where Anthony returns with a tough glove in his hand, sniffing it deeply.

"Papyrus, you are very lucky! I think the human was… Where did you come from?" Anthony takes note of the new monster and Papyrus conceals his panic as Arthur is exposed. He hopes Anthony will not punish either of them for violating any rules nor tell their parents. All he can do is hope their ruse holds, but the ice beneath their feet grows thinner the closer Anthony comes to them and the longer Arthur remains silent.

 _Say something, friend._ Papyrus thought as Arthur remains in his shaking state, silent & unable to move aside from his quivering eyes. Only the occasional quiet murmur escaping his trembling lips.

"What is wrong, child? I asked you a question. Who are you, I don't recall-"

"This is my friend, Tony; the one I ran into earlier. His name is Arthur. He is just surprised to see you out and about. We don't see you very often." Papyrus stands in front of Arthur, still unable to move or speak.

"Thank you for the answer, but I do not recall asking you Papyrus. Tell me Arthur, I don't recall your face in Snowdin. Can you refresh an old monster's memory?" He asks politely and Arthur remains a statue, as the general stands before them. Even on his hind feet, his head is at least a foot over Arthur with broad shoulders wider than both of them.

"Come on, friend. It's just good old General Tony, everyone's friend. Nothing to be afraid of-"

"Not scared!" Arthur says in a sudden yelp before catching himself. "Just surprised S-si-sir. Me and my p-pa-parents are new to S-Sn-Snow-Snowdin. We m-mo-moved here a little while ago. I m-me-met Papyrus in the f-fo-forest!" His stuttering reduces his voice into ruins.

"Are you alright child? Why do you speak like that?" Anthony asks with growing curiosity, his eyes examining them with fine detail.

"I-I…I always t-ta-talk like this… when. When…. When." He gulps deeply and speaks in a hard-strangled voice. "When I'm scared."

"And what are you afraid of child?" Anthony stares at them with a curious look and calm stance, making no moves but following their every movement with his eyes. Silence fills the air, both awaiting an answer and Arthur seemingly unable to provide one.

"The h-hu-human. You said there was a human. I'm sorry sir, but I-I he-heard humans do terrible things. They call you me-mean names, they pu-pull mean pr-pra-pranks, and they h-hu-hurt you j-ju-just because they don't like you." Arthur says and it's Anthony's turn to be silent.

"They do far worse than that, child. Far worse." Anthony's head sinks to the ground and Arthur mimics him.

"I know they do," Arthur says with a gulp.

"Do not worry, I will find this human. And when I do, they will regret the moment they decided to invade us. But for now, you two get home and stay there! I will do my work, but if you find the human, run! Do not fight them under any circumstances!" He declares in a voice that makes their spines solid and minds rigid.

"If I do not find the human by dawn, there will be a shelter order for all of Snowdin. But I doubt they will last that long." Anthony takes out his blade, revealing it to be two blades for each hand, wielding them like perfect extensions of his arm. It makes Papyrus applaud with glee, the only one to do so.

"Now go!" General Anthony restores his helmet, crouches to jump high into the trees. He leaps from tree branch to tree branch with high speed and greater agility, using both his arms and feet to travel. Papyrus wishes he could watch the spectacle, but knows they must heed the General's words with a human on the loose.

"Well, we must move on now! Is everything alright, Friend?" He remains silent, his lip and eyes twitching until at long last he lets loose a prolonged moan that slowly turn into words.

"I need to change my pants," Arthur whispers with a thousand-yard stare.

"Here, Friend. I do not need my pants; you can use them, if you like." Papyrus removes his pants, unbothered by the cold and hands them to Arthur. He steps his way behind a tree to preserve his modesty and returns shortly after, but the terrified look on his face seems permanent.

"Thanks for the pants. Sorry. I j-ju-just can't believe this is h-ha-happening."

"Me neither. An actual human in the Underground! I never thought I would see the day. Quite a shame; I would have loved to have met them if they weren't so nasty. I always love meeting new people."

"Happy to hear… Really wish I could say the same…Man, he is scary."

"Nyeh heh heh. You don't have to worry about General Tony, Friend. I'm sure he won't get you into trouble." Arthur's face rises to meet his sockets. "It's not like you're a human, Friend." And his face sinks again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mention the Human. Don't worry, Friend, if we meet the human. You will have the Great Papyrus to protect you and keep you safe from human harm. I promise." He declares with his hand over his chest and a salute in his other arm. Even if he is young and doesn't have blue magic like Sans, he will not allow any human to harm his new friend.

"Y-yo-you'd mean that? You'll keep me s-sa-safe? But why?" Arthur asks with genuine surprise and hungry curiosity.

"We're going to be friends, silly head. What other reason could we need?" Papyrus says in the most matter of fact manner possible. His words seem to trigger a prolonged awkward starring contest between the two of them. Arthur searches deeply into his face, and Papyrus wonders if something is wrong with his skull.

He could not do the same thanks to Arthur's mask of mud. "You're the weirdest person I've ever met, Skeleton Kid."

"Thank you so much, Friend! Now, are you ready to continue home?" Arthur goes still and silent. His head sinking so low that it could have sank beneath the ground had it not been attached to his nonexistent neck.

"I don't know anymore," Arthur whispers.

"Cheer up, friend. Once we get to home, I know things will get better. We will have lots of fun together!" Papyrus takes his hand and leads them away with a smiling face. He skips and Arthur slugs at his side, holding onto his boney hand with a tight but somehow fragile grip. Papyrus does not know what makes Arthur afraid or sad, but is happy to finally have him at his side.

Once they get home, he will do whatever Arthur needed to make him happy.

\- Some Time Later -

"A-ar-are you sure we have to go in t-th-there?" Arthur points at the path before them: a road to Snowdin Town, but with a roof of thick and heavy branches of greenery. The darkness of the Underground grows darker beneath their branches, leaving pitch blackness before them.

"We must, friend. This is the fastest way out of the forest. Going around will take too long and we could get lost," Papyrus insists at the entrance.

"B-Bu-but it's so d-da-dark." Arthur shrinks and goes somber; any trace of his faux tough voice is dead and gone. "I d-do-don't know if I can." Papyrus takes his hand, not allowing him to give up so easily.

"Do not worry, friend. I know what to do." Papyrus focuses on his chest, concentrating with intense thought and effort. To Arthur's surprise a bright white light banishes the dark, leaving them in a cocoon of light. A pale white soul pointing to the air appears in front of his chest.

"Whoa that's so cool! How are you doing that?" Arthur says with excitement, the first time since they've met, and Papyrus could not have been any more pleased.

"Friend, haven't you ever seen your own soul?" Papyrus asks and Arthur goes silent.

"Guess I haven't." His voice is heavy with regret.

"Do not worry, Friend. Magic is always hard to use. Me and brother were lucky to have father to teach us." Papyrus leads them into the dark forest path, his soul a lantern to keep the darkness at bay as they travel. Papyrus finds his soul warm thanks to the bright smile on Arthur's bewildered face.

"I can't believe this. Magic is re… um-um… I m-me-mean. What I-I mean to say is… I wish I knew how to do magic too."

"It's not too late for you, Friend. Anyone can do magic; all it takes is a soul and lots and lots of hard work. It's no walk in a snow field, but I learn more from father every day." He recalls his training sessions with Gaster, the greatest magician in the Underground.

He is able to wield six of the seven magical virtues, a near impossible task for even the most dedicated monsters. Even for those that carry all 7 virtues in their soul, it's easier to specialize. But Gaster did it and taught both him and Sans. Both made progress under his tutelage, but while Papyrus walks, Sans could run. It makes Papyrus eager to catch up to him.

"Brother can already do Blue Magic. He can make things and people float in the air and do what he wants. What that magic I can push my puzzle crafting skills to the next level! I can imagine it now. A bridge with all sorts of contradictions and mechanisms, all working together at the same time. It will be undefeatable." Papyrus says with confidence in his voice and stars in his eyes.

"If I could do Magic. I would make tricks that everyone would think was cool. Like making a magical fire d-dr-dragon or a super big light show back at town! It would always be bright and never d-da-dark." He says and Papyrus could not help but notice a pattern with Arthur.

"If you do not mind my asking, Friend, why are you afraid of the dark?" His question makes Arthur sigh.

"I-I…I don't like the d-da-dark! You can't see what t-th-there is… not till it's too late… and it's always something b-ba-bad that h-hu-hurts." He says before his voice dies into a whisper; his body trembles with every word.

"I am sorry to hear that, friend. But you know, it's alright to be afraid." Papyrus brings his hand to his back while boosting the light of his soul.

"B-Bu-But I don't want to be a cry baby. I'm always scared and I want it to stop, but I don't how to make it s-st-stop." He says before propping himself on the ground. "Listen to me, I c-ca-can't even talk without being scared. I guess t-th-they'll always be right." Papyrus stares at his friend, with heavy eye sockets and a heavier heart that reaches out to Arthur. Papyrus takes a seat right beside Arthur, his soul shining like a star in-between them.

"You know, father told me that knowing what you're scared of and why you're scared will make you strong when you face it. Even if you're the most scared person in the whole world, as long as you don't stop, your fear will stop and go away."

"Me not sc-sca-scared? I need Magic for that to h-ha-happen."

"Not true, Friend, not true. Believe it or not, I used to be frightened of the whole Underground. I know it sounds silly, but it's true." Papyrus says and Arthur goes wide eyed with confusion.

"But don't you live here?"

"Not always. Back when me and Sans were little, father kept us at the Lab. He said we were too weak and small to go outside. Our souls couldn't handle it. So for years it was just me, Brother, father, and his helpers," Papyrus says with a mixture of nostalgia and not; he did enjoy those memories, but now knows good memories are not exclusive to the sterile Laboratory.

"The Lab was all we knew and I didn't think I needed anything else. Whenever I was hungry, father or Sans was there for me. Whenever I wanted to play, father or Sans was there for me. Whenever I was lonely, they would save me. When the time came for us to leave, I ran away to hide under my bed." Papyrus gazes up at the ceiling above them, knowing it contains him, his family, Arthur, and the whole Underground.

Much like the ceiling in his bedroom, in the end, not much truly changed aside from the locales.

"The Underground was so big and it's so easy to get lost or to lose things. I was scared I would lose home… father or Sans… maybe me. I didn't ever want to leave!" Papyrus stands like a bold hero, his soul giving him an angelic glow. "But look at me now! The Underground is my home, and honestly, I find the Lab dreadfully dull now."

"You make it so easy. I wish it was," Arthur says, and Papyrus rejoins him on the ground.

"Oh, it is never easy. At least, doing it alone is never easy. I would never have done it without Father and Sans," he says with admiration and affection in his voice. "I'll never forget it. They found me hiding under my bed. I kicked and screamed and cried like a big baby-bones. But they promised me everything would be alright and I wouldn't be alone. They each took my arm and led me outside. For the longest time I wouldn't open my eyes or let go of them! But when we got home, a home just for the three of us, all my fear disappeared. All thanks to them!" Papyrus says with a proud and massive smile, one Arthur shares, albeit far smaller and for far shorter.

"But what if you're a-all-alone? No one likes you, because… you're too d-di-different from everyone," Arthur asks, his voice hurt. "Just you and no one else."

"No one is that alone, Friend, not unless you give up, and you must never do that. Honestly, I cannot think of a worse life than being completely alone." The thought makes Papyrus wonder if his sensory nerves come into existence, never feeling his bones so brittle and cold. The cold disappears when he gazes upon Arthur's happy face, at least until his face is swallowed away by a frown.

"Well, I'm alone, and it's my fault," Arthur says, his voice quiet and somber.

"Back at home— my first home—we lived in a small town in the middle of nowhere. There was so much open space everywhere and I wasn't scared of the dark. I would always go exploring when Mami and Papi didn't need me. I didn't think, I just wanted to have fun… and it was fun… than it w-wa-wasn't a-an-anymore." His voice turns heavy before breaking into pieces.

"I went out o-on-one n-ni-night. I-I…I s-sa-saw something I sh-shou-shouldn't have s-se-seen. R-Re-Real B-ba-bad stuff… So much R-Re-Red." His words spill in a struggle on the verge of tears. Papyrus raises his arm to stop him, but Arthur continues.

"When I told Mami and Papi, I-I ne-never saw them so scared. Next day we packed up and left. Ever since it's just been the three of us and nobody else. We're all a-al-alone, and all because of the d-da-dark." Arthur stops in his tracks to stare ahead into the blackness, cowering away from it.

"Sure, I got Mami and Papi, but that's their job. Everyone else is a st-stra-stranger. And t-th-they don't like us." Papyrus sighs, never meeting a person so committed to staying miserable, and never knowing a person so sad and alone in the Underground. Despite being so close to Arthur, he remains far away. The challenge of being his friend and making him happy grows without a peak in sight, but Papyrus continues to climb this mountain.

"Well, you are no longer alone, Friend, and you are already on the right track. You have the Great Papyrus at your side. We can play all sorts of games and puzzles with Sans, Father could cook for us and teach us both magic, and you won't have to be afraid anymore." Papyrus says with utter delight on his face and deep in his soul.

"I would really like that a lot." At long last Arthur smiles.

"And then we can go to your house and do the same!" To his confusion, his smile disappears, turning away to stare into the darkness.

"Maybe we should stop," Arthur says, refusing to face him. Papyrus could have not disagreed any more.

"Stop!? No, we cannot stop, Friend! Didn't you hear me; we cannot give up so easily! Not when we have come so far!" Papyrus picks himself and Arthur off the ground, not an easy task as Arthur refuses to cooperate and is as heavy as he appears.

"Please, Friend, I do not wish to see you like this. Promise me you will not give up already! Give me a chance, and I promise we will be happy together!" Papyrus pleads, and it does seem to reach Arthur as he stands and turns away.

"Will that make you happy, Skeleton Kid?" Arthur asks, but does not turn to face him.

"Of course it will, Friend," Papyrus says with a grin so grand and great it should be trademarked. After a few moments of silence and a prolonged sigh, Arthur meets him with a far from perfect and awkward smile.

Without a word he joins Papyrus and while he wishes for more, Papyrus will take what he can get. He will take things and his new friendship one step at a time with Arthur, as they venture towards Snowdin Town.

Until then, the steps take them deeper and deeper into the forest, the darkness growing thicker as they go. Had it not been for his soul, even Papyrus would struggle to see. Arthur insists lighting his soul may not be a good idea. It could give away their position to the human, or to any other threat. Papyrus insists that as long as the darkness makes him afraid, he will do what he can to make him comfortable.

Arthur remains dumbfounded but with a growing sense of appreciation, but also something else. He seems embarrassed, and Papyrus could not understand why. He knows Arthur is afraid. He always was, even when he put up that tough guy persona. But this change seems genuine, as far as Papyrus can tell.

He refuses to look at him in the eye socket and remains deathly silent. Arthur often slows to trail behind him, even stopping without warning. He assumes Arthur's fear of the dark is getting the best of him, and increases his soul's light. The action only seems to make manners worse and Arthur more determined to look away from him. Arthur leaves Papyrus in a puzzle, the ultimate puzzle to solve, and Papyrus knows once he solves the puzzle, all will be well between them.

That is, until Papyrus slips and stops to catch himself. A nasty and piercing pain strikes at his hands and knee caps, forcing him away from the path. It confuses Papyrus as the path ahead seems to be perfectly ordinary: a dirt path with hedges and thick bushes far above his head covering all sides. It's not the sides that catch his attention, though, but the glistening floor with a thin, almost invisible shade of orange hidden beneath the darkness of Snowdin Forest. And it is here another Puzzle makes itself known.

"Orange Magic! I cannot believe it! That's far from fair." It takes Papyrus moments to decipher what is going on and he could not have been anymore shocked, a little disgusted, too.

"What's wrong, Skeleton Kid?"

"It's a maze. The only solution is to reach the other side, but we can't stop moving or the Orange Magic will harm us. We cannot take any breaks to rest or think; how despicable. Any puzzle that doesn't give its challenger a fair chance is no puzzle, in my book." Papyrus examines the maze, thanks to its twists and turns buried beneath the shrouds of darkness, solving it will be no easy challenge. But greater questions linger.

 _Who made this puzzle? This was not here before… and why? Anyone who tries too hard will get lost, and if you don't try, the puzzle will punish you for it. Whoever made this puzzle should be ashamed._ Papyrus thought but answers will not help them now. Backtracking to go around will take hours, for now this is their only way forward.

"How are we going to solve it, Skeleton Kid?! It's im-imp-impossible. We can't even see the way out or right in front of us." Papyrus knows he is correct; even at full power, his soul can't provide enough light to illuminate the whole maze. Even if he could, he can't do anything to stop the orange magic from hurting them if they stop moving.

In a way, it was the ultimate puzzle, one that manages to entice Papyrus, as he approaches with a bold smile and flowing scarf. "This puzzle making fiend underestimates the Great Papyrus. I have yet to find a Puzzle I could not defeat and I will not begin now. I shall find the answer."

His words bring a fragile smile to Arthur and that's all Papyrus needs for inspiration, if only to preserve that smile looking down at him from high above. Then, a green shining crystal turned on above his skull. "Friend! I know what we can do and how you can help."

"Really? What can I do?"

"Your great size," Papyrus says and Arthur groans.

"Yeah, I know. I'm too big and fat like a freaky giant pig. You don't have to remind me." His voice is defeated and sad, but resigned to the harsh truth.

"Yes, you are big, and that is exactly what we need to solve the Puzzle. Here, help me get on top of you." Confusion and disbelief return to Arthur with his wide-eyed stare, yet he reluctantly picks him up with ease. Papyrus is impressed by his strength, never knowing any monster with Arthur's casual strength. He sits atop Arthur's head and dangles his legs off his shoulders, combining their heights for the perfect vantage point.

"Now I can see above and solve this dastardly maze and you can take us through. But remember, you cannot stop moving. Otherwise the orange magic will harm you. I am sorry for that, Friend, but this is the only way to defeat this despicable puzzle."

"But I can't see and the d-da-dark— t-th-there's so much." Arthur says in his broken and defeated way. His height and Papyrus' position takes his soul's light away, leaving Arthur in the shadow of the darkness below. Arthur is frozen where he stands, an action which will bring his friend unbearable pain and defeat in this maze.

"I know you are afraid, Friend. But you can trust the Great Papyrus to solve this maze, just as I trust you to carry me. Even if you must make a wrong turn, do it. I will solve it! You just keep moving and do not stop no matter what."

"You trust me?" Arthur asks in a soft and weak voice.

"Yes, I do." Papyrus reaches to grasp his trembling hand with a tender hold. Arthur relaxes with a heavy breath and they stare into the maze's impregnable darkness. A darkness which consumes them both as Arthur charges into the maze. Papyrus holds both of his shoulders to stay balanced. It's like riding a living mountain, rocky and massive, but steady and shaking. Both trapped in constant motion, lest there be an avalanche.

Riding atop his mountain, Papyrus scans the maze's many twists and turns. Seeing all the routes and passageways, knowing one leads to the exit in this puzzle of hedge and greenery. To his relief there is an exit on the far opposing side, but far away from them. They move closer to it and they move farther away from it. There's never a moment to stop & think this maze through, lest they endure its pain.

True to his word, Arthur takes any turn they come across, right or wrong. He never stops moving, and in more ways than one. As Papyrus sits, the shaking and trembling from Arthur is impossible to ignore. If he does not know any better, one could swear he is trying to throw him off. But his tightening grip and whimpering tells him what he already knows. Papyrus wishes he had a soul to spare, so both of them could see in this darkness.

But such a union is impossible for two monsters.

Difficult as it is, Papyrus devotes his attention to solving this maze. Searching passageways that lead into circles, dead-ends, or circles that stop in dead-ends. But each failed option means there is one less path to consider. Combined with Arthur's many failed turns, the options dwindle at double the speed. Papyrus narrows the answer down to one undeniable and straight path.

"Friend! I know the way! Turn right up ahead!"

"O-ok-okay." Arthur says in a pathetic murmur, barely audible under his growing gasping for desperate breath.

With an understanding, Papyrus directs Arthur from twist to turn while he carries him. Even with the solution in mind, things do not become easier. Darkness and exhaustion take hold of Arthur as he slows, leaving him with his fear and friend. Often a momentary pause happens, followed by an instant leap and sudden sprint, and Papyrus could imagine the whipping pain that drives Arthur forward with tearful tears in his soul.

"¡Por favor haz que pare! ¡Quiero que pare! ¡Hazlo parar!" Arthur cries. Papyrus doesn't know what he said, but he knows how a cry of desperation sounds by now.

"Do not worry, friend. We are almost there. You can do it. I know you can!" Papyrus says along with a rub of his hands. Arthur's whimpers shrink in his throat and he runs faster to escape this puzzle.

As they enter the final corridor, relief and smiles wash over them as the exit emerges from the black of darkness. Darkness remains nonetheless, concealing a root that ensnares his foot and sends them falling to the ground. Papyrus rolls across the ground in a rolling crash, lying still on the ground where the orange magic reminds him such an act could not be tolerated.

Papyrus leaps to his feet to escape the burning bites that relentlessly attack him. He constantly stays in motion to keep the pain away. A tiring measure, but a necessary one, and temporary as the exit lies mere feet away from him. Even from here Papyrus could see the edge of the orange magic field ceasing at the exit.

But that is not the only thing he witnesses.

"Arthur!" A freezing terror stuns Papyrus, but any pain from the magical field could not register when compared to the agonizing sight before him.

Arthur thrives on the ground, squirming and squealing in pain. He tries to escape but unable to do so. Whether from the pain, weariness, or darkness, Arthur could not move and the orange magic assaults him without end.

"Mami! Papi! ¡Sálvame!" Arthur cries and his plea does not go unanswered.

Papyrus charges to Arthur's side, stopping to reach down and lift his suffering friend. It takes a second for the orange magic to assault his feet. Papyrus pushes the pain to the back of his mind, but it stubbornly refuses to remain contained as he lifts his large and heavy friend. The downside of being a skeleton is having no muscles for brawn, not that it stops Papyrus from trying to save Arthur.

"Please, Friend! I am here for you! But I need you to help me too!" Papyrus shouts as the strain on his arms build and the pain on his feet becomes almost impossible to ignore. Arthur does his best to move, but his best is far from enough. For every piece of him that moves to escape pain or fear, there is another frozen for those same reasons.

"Friend! Don't give up!" Like a scale with too much weight, the burden becomes too heavy and Papyrus collapses to the ground. He moves as best as he can to escape the pain, but he can only do so much. His one fleeing comfort is that he could at least stare into his friend's face.

Surprise blasts through the pain, long enough for Papyrus to see that stunned look of disbelief. Papyrus must be honest, by now, he had gotten used to it, and it brings him some comfort. Until his face grimaces and tightens like a lemon, succumbing to pain with tears falling from shut eyes. But the look of pain seems strange, not one of physical agony, but something else.

"No… No. Not you!" Arthur braces his arms, one on the ground and the other latches onto Papyrus' hand.

With a support to use, Papyrus gains his second wind as boney and meaty fingers lock together. Using each other, they rise off the ground and free themselves of the pain in small but shrinking quantity. The taller they rise, the more they depend on each other to return to their feet. By now his still feet are screaming, and neither could stand alone, but neither are alone.

"You do the left and I do the right." Arthur says through the pain.

They move side by side grabbing each other's back and sharing their legs. They move together, every steps brings them temporary relief and return to pain. Yet they do not stop, moving as one until at long last the pain comes to an end. When sight returns to his sockets, Papyrus finds them outside of the maze and puzzle, not that it stops Arthur's relentless charge.

"Friend! We've done it! You can stop and rest now!"

"Not until it stops. The hurting…" Arthur declares and keeps running, carrying them far and away from the maze and deep into Snowdin forest. Papyrus welcomes his effort but becomes little more than luggage. It's not until a second trip ends Arthur's pursuit in a tumbling crash on the ground.

Papyrus stands to embrace him. "Calm down, friend. The danger is behind us. We have escaped."

"We did it?" He says in disbelief and sits up before Papyrus throws himself into him for another grand hug.

"Yes! We did it, Friend! We defeated that fiendish puzzle together. I knew I could trust you to save us."

"You still m-me-mean that?" Arthur says with confusion.

"Of course I do, Friend! I could not have defeated that vile puzzle without you!" Papyrus says and Arthur does smile for the briefest of fleeting moments

"Tomorrow, I will speak to father and he will learn who made that terrible trap. There is no reason to make such a horrible puzzle." To his confusing disappointment, Arthur's smile disappears as his face turns away.

"I can t-th-think of one r-re-reason. The Human."

"Ah yes the human! I completely forgot about the human! Now I think about it, that puzzle is ingenious. No wonder it was so unfair, it was not meant for monsters like you and me," Papyrus says and Arthur's head sinks deeper.

"Yeah, a m-mo-monster like me," Arthur whispers.

"Please, Friend, I know you are sad, but there are no puzzles left and Snowdin Town is right over there. Once we get there, everything will be better and you will be happy," Papyrus pleads and takes a knee before him and Arthur responds with his chubby smiling face, but his smile seems sad.

"You really like and trust me, don't ya, Skeleton kid? Why?" Papyrus felt like he has answered this question many times already. A strange question to keep asking, but one he did not mind answering and he would have answered a hundred million times over.

"Because we're friends, silly. Friends have to trust and like each other. Otherwise we wouldn't be friends. Don't you believe me?" Papyrus asks and Arthur goes silent for what seems like hours, every second drags until at long last, he breaks the silence.

"Yeah. I believe ya. I didn't believe before, now I do. I think you'd make a great friend, Skeleton Kid," he says, and Papyrus feels like he is going to explode from glee. Hearing Arthur say those words brings him joy unlike anything else.

"I r-re-really hope you find one." The Monster says as he arises and marches away from Papyrus. It leaves his soul broken and collapsing into pieces, like his bones lost all their joints. Frozen with dreadful surprise, Papyrus puts himself back together to race after his friend.

"Arthur! What's wrong? Why are you leaving?! There was so much fun we were going to have! Please don't go, Friend!" Papyrus pleads but Arthur ignores him. But with his smaller size and less exposure to the orange magic, Papyrus moves faster and takes his arm.

"Skeleton Kid, you gotta let me go!" The monster demands as he fights back against his grip. "You don't wanna be friends with someone like me."

"But why, friend? I don't understand? Why are you doing this?"

"You really want to know who I am?"

"I already know what you are, Fiend, and you are not escaping from me again!" A second later a thunderous crash explodes behind them and a tall armored figure arises. General Anthony has arrived.

"Quite the chase you led me on. But you can't hide from this forever." The General points to his nose and tosses a tough glove to the ground. "Take a shower next time. Maybe the King will grant you one before your end."

General Anthony turns around to unsheathe his sword locking eyes with Papyrus. "Papyrus! What are you doing here?!"

"Hello, Tony!" Papyrus says with an awkward voice and a wave of his hand. "Good-bye, Friend," Papyrus says, in sadness this time.

"Who are you talking to…?" The Simian General takes notes of what Papyrus has already seen, Arthur fleeing away. "Damn, he's getting away! Papyrus, get out of here! I will deal with you later!" The General commands in a hard voice.

 _What is going on?_ Papyrus thought as trains of thought smash against each other in thunderous crashes inside his mind and soul.

"Running away… yellow boy. At least the girl had the courage to stand her ground. This will be fun." Tony whispers with deep and primal satisfaction. The general takes his swords and readies for a leap.

"No!" Papyrus throws himself at the Good General's legs, stopping his leap before it can occur. The General trips and tosses his swords away from Papyrus. When they recover, the general wears a face of rage.

"Why did you do that?! He getting away! I must stop him!"

"No, Tony! Please leave him alone. He didn't mean anything wrong."

"Do you have any idea what you're saying!?"

"Please, he's my Friend!" He says and the General is overcome with shock. Unlike Arthur, his shock leaves Papyrus frozen with dread. The General hits the ground in frustration as Arthur disappears from sight into the darkness.

"You are mad and you are coming with me!" Papyrus is picked up and carried away from the scene by Anthony. He offers no resistance, not that he could with the General's strength, his failing heart, and countless thoughts running through his head.

_What went wrong?_

_What is wrong with my Friend?_

_What is happening?_

_Why is this happening?_

_What did I do wrong?_

The thoughts continue without end, but for the briefest of seconds Papyrus swears he spies a pair of sad eyes looking back at him from the darkness of Snowdin Forest.

Papyrus remains lost in thought for so long, he does not notice Snowdin Town's sign. Their trek through the center of a silent sleeping town. The arrival at his home's door steps until the General places him there. Papyrus looks up at the General's enraged face, where shame causes him to turn away from Anthony.

"I have great respect for Dr. Gaster. For his sake and his sake alone, I will keep your interference tonight a secret. And I believe you may have been misled by that fiend." Papyrus welcomes his words, but his harsh cold tongue keeps his face concealed and sinking with shame.

"But why-" Papyrus tries to speak.

"Consider this your final warning, child. If you interfere with my hunt again, I won't just tell your father. I'll tell the King what you did, and there will be consequences for your father, your brother, and yourself. Now stay here!" His voice is quiet and subdued, but his command comes with fierce power.

"Yes, Tony, sir." Papyrus says, lacking the courage and spirit to say anything else. Satisfied General Anthony leaves, but their stares remain unbroken. The General walks backwards and turns once he reaches the edge of Forest and vanishes in the darkness. Papyrus is left all alone again, standing outside his home, and for the first time, his home brings him no warmth or comfort.

When he could no longer stand, Papyrus falls to his knees to grab his head to soothe the aching wounds and throbbing thoughts within. "I just don't understand what happened? What did I do wrong? Was I a bad friend?"

"No. You're the nicest person I've ever meet S-Sk-Skeleton Kid." Papyrus finds Arthur standing with a heavy sunken face, the exact opposite of which came upon Papyrus.

"Friend, you returned!" Papyrus wanted to hug him and never let go of him ever again.

"Shh... Someone will wake up, or he'll come back."

"Good idea, Friend; you are so smart. I am glad we finally made it home."

"Yeah. G-ge-guess we did. Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Skeleton Kid. I g-go-gotta go home now." Arthur turns away, but Papyrus wraps his boney arms around his wide waist to hold and stop him.

"Please don't leave me again, Friend. I don't want you to go. Please, I'll forget what you did. Just don't go away!" Papyrus begs, not wanting to lose his friend after regaining him.

"I told you already we can't be…" Silence takes him when eyes lock. Defeat comes upon Arthur. "Listen, Skeleton Kid, you got guts, but you can do better than me. I'm sure the other monsters will love to be your friend," Arthur says as Papyrus is dragged away by his steps.

"I tried, but you're first friend I've ever had. Please, Arthur, whatever's wrong, tell me how to fix it so we can stay together. After all we have to go to your house like you wanted. So tell me what to do." Papyrus says and his face turns away again.

"Y-Yo-You can start by not t-te-telling me a-ab-about t-th-that. Now let me go so I can get home now." Thanks to his greater strength, Papyrus' hug breaks and Arthur walks away. Yet Papyrus refuses to give up. He could not allow his friend to leave his grasp so easily.

"Please, Friend, you have had a long day. At least stay the night to rest. That way you can be back up at 100% before we say goodbye. You can stay in our shed. No one will find you there!" He says and Arthur goes silent, for a while he wonders if his friend will reject his request.

"It would make me very happy." Papyrus adds, and after a long pause, Arthur responds with a resigned sigh.

"Fine. One night," Arthur says and Papyrus greets him with an enormous bone crushing hug, not that he minded.

"Thank you so much, Friend. I promise you will not regret this. You are under the protection of the Great Papyrus." With his approval, Papyrus finds his happiness restored and leads Arthur to the work shed behind his home. His mind goes over countless plans to win over Arthur in the morning.

He knows Gaster & Sans will believe him when he says Arthur is his friend, but Anthony leaves him with questions. Why would the General be so upset with Arthur? He has never known the General to be so hard with monsters, even the ones that break rules and make trouble. Tony is certainly stern, but always fair. He wanted to ask Arthur, but will not risk upsetting him and force an early departure.

That will be his next task. Perhaps Gaster could help him, speak to king Asgore on his behalf and order General Tony to forgive Arthur. Whatever Arthur might have done, he is sure it can be forgiven. After all, he has forgiven him; why wouldn't anyone else? But such answers to these questions will have to wait until morning. As he opens the door to the shed and guides Arthur inside, into his life and home, a door he hopes will never be closed.

"See, Friend. No one will bother you here. A good night's rest and everything will be great again in the morning. Doesn't that sound wonderful?" Papyrus leads him into the shed. It is a small and cramped cabin, thick with dust and cobwebs with stuffy air and wooden planks that do little to keep the cold outside. It contains snow removal equipment, random tools, and a jar of monster candy for medical emergencies.

"Yeah, I'm gonna love sleeping here." Arthur sits against the wall in resignation, where Papyrus joins him with a bright warm smile.

"Splendid! Now be sure to get plenty of rest, Friend. I'm sure we'll have a big day tomorrow on the way back to Home."

"Yeah… Home. Man, been one hell of a day," Arthur speaks with a heavy and weary voice.

"Are you sad, Friend?" Papyrus asks, hoping to join him on his journey, whether here or at his home, either would do in his mind.

"No. Everything is okay, Skeleton Kid. Just done too much in one day. Climbed a mountain… Met all of you… Ran into a d-da-dark forest… Got into a fight… Puzzles and Chases… And when I get home, no one is gonna believe any of this."

"What?! Why wouldn't they believe you, Friend?" Papyrus asks.

"Look at me," Arthur answers as he sits against the wall like an overgrown toad. "Mami and Papi will think I'm being funny and everyone else will laugh at me."

"I was there with you, Friend. I can help if you need it." Papyrus replies, eager to rejoin him again, but Arthur's face turns into a lemon before turning away.

"No, that's a re-rea-really bad idea. Stupid idea. Don't worry, I'll be okay… No one needs to know, anyway."

"But you did all of that, Friend. I've never seen or met anyone like you before. You journeyed with me through all of Snowdin and help me vanquish its puzzles. You even faced Tony; I don't know why, but few can say that. They should know how brave you are."

"Brave… You know, Skeleton Kid. I've never met anyone like you before, either. You're nice to me… You help me… You trust me… You protect me… and you believe in me."

"That's what-"

"Friends do for each other. I know that now; thanks for the lesson," he says, and Papyrus could not have been any more surprised and not at the same time. He is pleased to have given him this lesson, but it's a lesson he believes everyone should already know.

"What happened to you, Friend?" Papyrus asks, not knowing any monster that could treat one of them like this. He believes Arthur, but does not want his words to be true, either. He wonders if his fear of the Underground is not entirely baseless. He is afraid to learn the truth, but needs to hear his friend.

"After me and my parents moved away, we had to find a new home. I was excited at first, and so were Mami and Papi. They said we would find a better life and I would have a better future than our first home could ever give us." Arthur says with longing in his voice, a fleeing joy trailing away to emptiness.

"It was really hard. We always ran out of time or money, moving place to place, looking for a place to stay but we just couldn't. For a while, thought we were never gonna find a new home. Then out of nowhere this really nice but weird dude in a blue suit found us." His voice suddenly uplifts itself.

"Dude said he owned a big business up north and needed good hands to run things. He said he would give us a job, a house, and protection. Thought it sounded too good to be true, especially with those dead snake eyes of his. But Mami and Papi thought different, and hey! Turns out the weird dude was for real. I was just glad it was all over… And it was better than my dreams." He says and for once he almost sounds happy.

"Our house was so big and nice! We each had our own room and I could do whatever I wanted in mine. There was a giant yard to play in and lots of places to run and hide in. I couldn't wait to bring all my new friends to hang out with me." He says in utter excitement, Papyrus is pleased to hear him sound so happy at last.

"On my first day of school, all the k-ki-kids acted like I had some bad b-bu-bug or something. T-th-they didn't want to see me or talk to me at all. When I tried to be with them, they would call me m-me-mean names until I left. Mami and Papi told me they would stop, even talked to the teachers to make them stop. That just made them angry… And they h-hu-hurt me." Arthur says in growing dread and already Papyrus wanted him to stop.

"This cannot be true. Monsters would never do anything like this to anyone!"

"Y-Yo-You don't know t-th-these m-mo-monsters Skeleton Kid." His voice splinters into pieces by rapid gasps. "One day, the s-sc-school lost lights and I wet my pants in the d-da-dark. It was one t-ti-time, but t-th-they would never let me forget. I t-tr-tried so hard… But I was n-ne-never g-go-good enough for them." Arthur hides his face behind his palms.

"They said I was fat like a p-pi-pig. Big like a giant f-fr-freak. They said if I couldn't t-ta-talk like them, I should go b-ba-back where I came from. I tried to get smaller, and I learned how to talk right. But they still h-hu-hurt me, said I'll always be a C-Cr-Cry B-Ba-Baby!" Arthur sinks to the ground in tears.

"They said n-no one would ever want to be my Friend. Not the way I am now, and not ever." Arthur's face disappears beneath his hand and knees, never to be seen ever again. Papyrus gives Arthur the greatest hug he ever given in his whole life. Not even Gaster or Sans have known a hug like this one. Papyrus does not stop in showering the boy with all the comfort and joy his soul had to offer.

"I think they're wrong. I like you just the way you are and I want to be your bestest friend ever Arthur."

"Arturo." Arturo lowers his hand to reveal his smiling face. "My real name is Arturo Lopez. Mami and Papi told me I had to change it to fit in. That didn't work, either. But thank you so Skel- Papyrus. I'm glad to be your friend." The tears and anguish fade away from his face.

"It was my pleasure, Arturo, and I am glad to be your friend." Papyrus says all the pain & sorrow drain away from his soul from seeing his friend's happiness. For the first time since they've meet, there is no ill will or confusion between them. He does not understand much, but if all he said is true, then Papyrus will make sure he will never be like that again.

"I shall always be at your side, Friend."

"I know you want to… But I still have to go."

"Do you want to leave, friend?"

"No, I don't. But I don't want you to get hurt, Papyrus."

"You do not have to worry about that, Friend. I will speak to Father and Tony, perhaps even King Asgore. I am certain once they hear your story, they will forgive whatever trouble you've caused and punish those cruel monsters," Papyrus says and Arthur smiles, one to match his own and one he's not interested in breaking. It is a smile that would be captured in his memory for the rest of his life.

"Besides, Friend, Monsters turn to dust when they get hurt too bad. None of us turned to dust tonight, so we're both good," Papyrus walks away from The Monster. "So have pleasant dreams, Friend; tomorrow will be much better. I know it."

Long silence follows Papyrus to the door, when Papyrus turns one last time to look at Arturo. He is collapsed over his knees, his head hitting the ground and arms wrapped tightly around his chest. His nails dig, almost tearing, into his clenched fist.

A strange and uncomfortable way to sleep Papyrus thought. "Are you alright Friend?"

"…Yeah, we'll both be alright tomorrow morning. Just like you said." Arturo turns to hug his knees and falls against the floor.

"Well I will see you tomorrow good Friend." Papyrus closes the door and departs back to his house. It takes some doing, without his brother's blue magic to help, but Papyrus climbs his way back to his room's window. With a swift motion, he opens the window and climbs inside into his room. To his surprise he is alone, sounds of conversation and work coming from the lower floor.

"Goodness. I almost forgot." Despite everything that's happened since he's left, Gaster and Sans remain hard at work down below. Papyrus does not wish to disturb whatever they are working on. Sans did his job, Papyrus did his, and he returned with far more than he could have ever imagined.

He could hardly imagine their reactions tomorrow when he introduces them to his new best friend. But such matters could wait for the following morning. For now, Papyrus exchanges his winter gear and sweater for pajamas, Papyrus never thought he would miss wearing pants. He follows the siren call of his tired bones to bed, burying himself beneath the covers.

He surrenders to a good night rest, eager for the following day's events. "Good night, Arturo. Do not worry; the Great Papyrus is by your side."

\- Morning -

The following morning arrives with the exchange of impregnable darkness for slightly less impregnable darkness. To the untrained eye, one will not be able to tell the difference, but for monsters the Sun's and Moon's absence is a daily reality. Papyrus wakes from his bed, stretching his bones for the new day ahead, ready to take the bull by the horns to give them a hug.

"Oh boy, it's finally today!" Papyrus declares, skipping to his closet to put on his clothes with eager haste. When he is done, he charges out his room and down the stairs with a spring in his feet, almost bouncing off the walls.

"Father! Sans! I-!" Papyrus is treated with the sight of WD Gaster and Sans slouched over their arms, asleep at their dining room table. The table is littered with many pieces of lab paper filled with numbers and equations Papyrus finds indecipherable. Papyrus' soul grows warm thanks to the sight; despite his eagerness he will not disturb their peaceful slumber. Instead, he travels to the kitchen to take several breakfast bars and pastries, hoping Arturo will be hungry.

"Sleep well, Father and Brother. I shall return." Papyrus enters Snowdin and closes the door behind him before making his way towards the shed. The streets of Snowdin are empty, with an eerie silence hanging in the air. Papyrus gives the matter little thought as he stops at the tool shed's door. Giddy and keen, he could not have been any more excited to start the day.

"Greetings, Friend. It is I, the Great Papyrus, and I brought us some yummy treats to begin-!" The sight of the unoccupied shed leaves Papyrus surprised. His eye sockets race around the shed in a desperate search for his friend, scanning every corner and every inch many times to no avail. At first glance, there is not a single trace that anyone is or ever was here as Papyrus walks deeper inside.

"Friend, where did you-?" His answer comes with a hit to his foot. He gazes down to where a plank of wood and screwdriver lay together. He picks up the plank, where a message is inscribed upon it.

GOODBYE FRIEND

DON'T LOOK 4 ME

BETTER THIS WAY

DON'T 4GET. ARTURO

"No, this cannot be. Why would he leave? Why is this better?!" Papyrus does not have tear ducts, but every word makes him want to cry. But that pain is second to the ache which strangles his Soul. Despite reading his words, and not wanting to reject his friend's wishes, he could not bring himself to accept them.

 _No! I will not abandon you my Friend. The Great Papyrus always stands by his Friends and so will I! I do not know what is wrong, but I know we can fix it together!_ Papyrus thought along with a persistent chase outside the shed and into Snowdin Town, although the town is the furthest thing from his destination and mind, not noticing the many flyers strung across doors and the ground.

It's when he reaches the forest's edge that a sign comes before his eye socket, one impossible to ignore with its bold lettering and royal insignia.

ATTENTION ALL RESIDENTS OF SNOWDIN TOWN, A SHELTER ORDER HAS BEEN PLACED DUE TO AN ACTIVE EMERGENCY THREAT IN THE AREA.

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE ALL MONSTERS MUST REMAIN HOME. KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED, AND DO NOT LEAVE FOR ANY REASON. PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND COOPERATE WITH THE ROYAL GUARD IN ALL SITUATIONS.

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST CONCERN AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO RESOLVE THE THREAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WE ASK FOR PATIENCE AND BRAVERY IN THIS DARK HOUR. THE SHELTER ORDER WILL BE REMOVED ONCE THE EMERGENCY THREAT IS ELIMINATED. FURTHER UPDATES AND INSTRUCTION WILL BE PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL GUARD.

WARNING: HAZARDOUS PUZZLES AND TRAPS HAVE BEEN PLACED ACROSS SNOWDIN FOREST. THESE PUZZLES ARE HARMFUL TO MONSTERS. DO NOT ENTER.

DECREED BY GENERAL ANTHONY, HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD.

Despite not giving the definitive reason, Papyrus knows what is causing this emergency. "The Human! They've made it this far!"

Thoughts of finding Arturo harmed, or worse, by the human plague Papyrus. Papyrus grimaces at such a possibility, refusing to allow it to come to pass. "If that human wants my friend, they will have to face the Great Papyrus first!"

Despite the danger, Papyrus charges into the forest like a dashing knight charging towards a dreaded dragon. There is no hesitation in his steps or any urge to stop, an unquenchable thirst to find his friend and ensure his safety. He travels deep into Snowdin Forest, almost slipping and tripping a few times from the melting ice or slippery mud, but always returning to his feet and the pursuit.

Being new to town, Arturo likely does not know his way around Snowdin Forest and his vision seems poor compared to his in the dark. Even with a huge head start, Papyrus is confident he could catch up to him.

"Arturo! Where are you?! I, the Great Papyrus, am here to save you!" Papyrus does not care if his shouts give his position away to the human. If it helps him find his friend's location, or takes the human's attention away from him, it will be worth it.

The search went on, seemingly without end. Papyrus runs past fields and frozen ponds, climbs trees and hills, and treks across mud and snow. Yet he never allows himself to tire, ignoring the weary calls of his bones and the voice inside telling him it's already too late. But Papyrus refuses to believe it, and he will not be too late this time and he will save Arturo alone if need be. In the end, Papyrus is forced to return back to Snowdin Town to reach another sector of the forest.

And it is here, in the middle of an immense clearing in the forest where a figure sits in the dead center in a fetal position, waiting for something. Why, Papyrus does not know, but he does want to slap himself. To waste so much time and effort in this search, to overlook such a terrible hiding place. Snowdin Town itself is not far and anyone could locate him with minimal effort.

Any frustration within Papyrus is buried beneath heaps of glee and joy as he charges towards his friend, ready to attack him with an immense bear hug. With luck, he will never have to let go ever again. "Friend! Do not fear! The Great Papyrus has come at last to save you!"

"What the heck, Skeleton Kid!" Arturo shouts as Papyrus charges towards him, faster with every step and happier with every second. His spirit plummets like a crashing meteorite with the agitated scowl on Arturo's face. Papyrus drags his feet across the ground to a halt, almost afraid to come any closer and discover why his friend is upset.

"What the heck are you doing? Didn't you get my message?!" His voice pierces him like a sword with every word. It reminds Papyrus of his first voice, but this one is full of genuine anger.

"B-bu-but I had to come and help you, F-fr-friend," Papyrus says in a stutter, tripping over his words.

"I told you already, we can't be friends! Now get away from me before you get h-hu-hurt." He raises his fists while his voice cracks.

"But I don't understand, Friend. Why are you being this way?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know Skeleton Kid. Now go home, before it's too late!"

"I do want to know, I do. Please tell me what I can do to fix whatever's wrong. I'll do anything!" Papyrus pleads, almost falling to his knees and ready to beg if he must. From behind a face palm, Arturo speaks in that hard-tough voice, but it breaks with every word.

"You. Can't. Fix. Me... What I've done, what I was going to do. You don't want me for a friend. I've done... terrible things. Now leave me alone!" He ends on the verge of tears, looking at his fists with disgust before tossing them aside. Papyrus is almost convinced to leave this an eternal puzzle, but he made it this far and refuses to turn back.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. The Great Papyrus will not abandon you, and neither can I." Arturo goes sullen with silence, unresponsive as he stares at the ground. His mouth quivers and his body shaking, words slithering out of his mouth in unintelligible choking whimpers.

"I just don't get it. Why are you being so nice to me?" Arturo asks.

"Because I like you and you're my friend, Arturo," Papyrus says and after a long moment of silence.

"I like you too, Papyrus. I really wish we could be friends. But it won't work." Papyrus turns weary as Arturo's teary red eyes lock onto his sockets.

"But of course it can work. Things can always work as long as you don't give up and keep-"

"I'm the human!" Arturo shouts, leaving Papyrus stunned with shock.

"The human T-to-Tony been looking for this whole time! The reason we had to deal with those p-pu-puzzles! I mean have you ever seen a m-mo-monster like me?!" Arturo confesses and Papyrus does not know what to say. He solved the puzzle and the answer leaves him broken in two. His sockets stare at his dear friend and a merciless human.

"Guess I am a monster! You wanna know why I wanted you to come home with me so bad. You were gonna be my trophy! Proof I climbed the big, scary, dark Mt. Ebbott. Everyone was gonna look at me and say: Holy cow Arthur's so brave! He's not scared of anything or anyone! I'll stop ignoring him and ask if he wants to hang out or be nice to him." His confession continues until it becomes a mess of sobs and cries.

"At least stop calling him mean names, stop pulling awful pranks that hurt him a lot, and all just because he's too fat, too big, and too much of a cry baby and should go back where he belongs! And you wanna know the best part? They're right!" Arturo collapses to the ground.

"They were right the whole time! I am just a fat, big, cry baby scared of his own shadow. I'm sorry, but that's what I am. I didn't want to be like that, I wanted to get braver and better. So I came down here and I just got worse... That goat lady was right. She said I was real strong, and I sure did p-pr-prove it." Arturo says and looks at his fists with visual disgust.

"So there, now you know everything, Skeleton Kid. Now let's go home where we can play ball, have snacks for dinner, and hangout. We'll have plenty of time; after all, you'll be bestest friends with the biggest yellow belly jerk in all of Ebbott." He buries his face in his palms, tears and cries escaping from his enclosing fingers.

Meanwhile, Papyrus is still processing the first sentence.

 _A human. But... how can any of this be true? Father told me about humans and all the terrible things they've done. And if Arturo is a human, that means he has to be bad too. But that cannot be… or can it be?_ He retraces his words and cannot lie; he finds their taste terrible. To be stolen away to the surface and hung on a shelf like some trophy. Papyrus looks at his friend and for a moment, he does glance at the fiend General Tony is hunting for.

The longer he looks, the more he sees this sad cowering crying human, the more he remembers the other words they've shared. The times they've shared, both the bad and very good. While there is a bad taste to them now, the flavor of joy in those moments could not be washed away, nor does he want them to be. While hurt, Papyrus is not broken, and as painful as he is, all it takes is one look for Papyrus to know his pain is a distant second place to Arturo.

Papyrus stares at the puzzle inside another puzzle that is Arturo, and within himself, there is only pity.

"Why did you tell me all this? You could have kept lying to me, but you didn't," Papyrus asks, his voice broken but awaiting. After a long-strained silence, his answer comes.

"You're a good friend, Papyrus. Didn't know what that meant till now. You can do better than me. Besides, I won't be alone for much longer. Tony should be here soon. I don't want you to get hurt or to disappear. So please... just go."

Despite his heart breaking and world being turned upside down, Papyrus understands. As painful as his words are, this is the only way Arturo can help him now. His regret is that there is nothing he can do to help Arturo.

With a nod, Papyrus turns to the exit, but could not leave without speaking his mind. "You know, human. I still don't know what bravery is, but you did not have to do or say any of that. I may not know much, but I don't believe you're a coward. And I still wish we could be friends."

"But I'm a human and you're a monster."

"I would have agreed with you yesterday, but I don't think that really matters anymore. Farewell, friend, and best of luck to you." Papyrus says before leaving with a heavy heart and phantom tear ducts flooding his face. He leaves the clearing, every step harder and heavier than the last. The pain in his soul is too immense for him to move any faster as his mind becomes a whirlwind of questions.

What will happen to Arturo now? He knows there is a royal order that all humans must be taken to the King. What happens afterwards, only Asgore knows.

Will Anthony keep his word? If the other monsters discover he helped a human, it will destroy any chance of him ever making friends; and will it damage Sans and Gaster's reputation?

Why can't Arturo and him just be friends? He knows the reasons why. They cannot get along because humans are bad and monsters are good. While Arturo is not perfect, Papyrus could not call him evil, either. He saw him cry, saw him laugh, and at the end of it all, all he needed was a friend. And now they can never be friends.

It makes him wonder: are humans really bad? Can they be good? Maybe both at the same time? The question is heavy, heavier than any mountain in the world. He is almost afraid of learning the truth; perhaps if he allows humans to answer, he will know the truth. Papyrus wonders what answer he will find in a situation like that.

Not that it makes much difference now. As he leaves Arturo behind him, the weight of all these concerns turns to zero when the ground disappears beneath his feet to swallow him whole into a black abyss.

"Aaaahh!" Papyrus screams and plummets into this hidden pitfall trap. He reaches for the walls to stop his fall, but is too late as the ground meets him with a heavy thud onto the soft dirt. He would have been fine, had it not been for the piercing screaming pain in his knee joints, fibula, and tibia.

Collapsed onto the floor, Papyrus tries to soothe his broken and brittle bones to no avail. He tries to call for help, but pain overwhelms every word, leaving echoing cries of anguish. The mere act of looking up is punishing, finding pitch darkness in a hole where all light is swallowed away. A darkness which spreads across his eye sockets, for a while or forever, he does not know.

 _Is this it, am I going to be dust? No! I need to see Sans… Father… I can't be alone… I don't want to go alone. I have so many puzzles to make and spaghetti to eat. I don't want to be dust. Please help, someone… Father, brother, General Tony… anyone!_ Papyrus thought unable to move or help himself.

"Papyrus! Please tell me you're okay!?" Arturo cries, his voice bursting with concern. While the pain remains immense, the sound of his voice acts like a balm to heal his pain. He wishes he could see him in the darkness, despite his confession and choices, Papyrus would have been overjoyed to have his company.

"Friend." Papyrus could barely speak through the pain. "Please… help."

A brief silence follows before being broken by stuttering murmurs that echo down to him. "N-No this c-ca-can't be h-hap-happening. Not Again! I…I-I h-ha-have to get… No! This won't be like last time. Joder la oscuridad!"

"Just hang in there, Papyrus! I'm coming for ya, amigo!" Arturo declares in a voice that is both strong and fragile. Papyrus is glad to hear him, and to have him down here in this pitch darkness would be the greatest joy of his dwindling life. Dirt falls from above accompanied with the sounds of struggling steps.

"D-do-don't worry, Papyrus. E-ev-everything is g-go-gonna be o-ok. I'm g-go-gonna save you. Joder la oscuridad!" He shouts with growing desperation and more falling dirt, the sounds of a constant struggle of climbing, slipping, and gasping stutters.

"Wanna he-hear a f-fun-y story? I was g-go-going to a magic show; you like m-ma-magic, right? So, the m-ma-magician comes out and tells u-us he's go-going to d-dis-disappear on the count of t-th-three. So he waves his wand and goes: uno, dos, and poof. He d-dis-dis-appears without a tres."

"Very funny, friend." Papyrus makes a sad laugh. While he appreciates the effort, the punch line flies far above his skull. _Oh Sans, I'm so sorry._

"Yeah, real fun… aaggh!" Arturo slides against the wall before landing with a heavy smash, and the sounds leaves deep scratches inside Papyrus skull. The last thing he wants is for both of them to be trapped.

"Friend? Are you… you alright?" As much as it hurts to speak, he needs to know if Arturo is well. A long silence follows as his nerves join his bones in the broken state, he has become.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Relief falls over him and so do second thoughts. If anything happens to Arturo it could be hours before anyone else will find them.

"Please, Friend… Find father… He can save us… before too late," Papyrus pleads.

"No. I won't leave you, not like this," Arturo says and continues to reach for his friend.

"But… the dark… you could get…"

"I don't c-ca-care. I'm g-go-going to save you! You're my best friend! And we're getting out of this h-ho-hole together." Papyrus finds himself being picked up. While the pain remains, his soul enters a state of jubilation so great, he could have leaped out of the hole in a single bound.

Papyrus securely wraps his arms around Arturo's shoulders and he walks to the wall to start the climb. A far greater task with gravity fighting them in this dark hole and strapped to his shaking back. It is a struggle to hold onto him and the movements do not help the pain in his legs. Arturo stands to gaze at the darkness above.

"Friend… don't be afraid."

"Sorry, b-bu-but that's not g-go-gonna happen. But d-do-don't worry about me; I'm not alone." Arturo climbs the wall, slowly and carefully taking them up the wall of dirt. His hands digging into the muddy dirt step by step, hand by hand, and inch by inch. Never moving too fast for his sake, but never stopping no matter what.

It's a difficult and grueling process, being strapped to Arturo's back; Papyrus could feel every involuntary jerk and tremble, hear every desperate cry or gasp. His fear emanates off him like a powerful invisible force field. Yet his pursuit to save him and reach the top remains unrelenting, driven by a power Papyrus has never seen in any monster, and he could not have been any more impressed.

In time they reach the top and Papyrus finds himself gently laid across the ground. Finally up here, Papyrus could see his savior. "Friend, you did it. You saved us. I knew you could do it."

"Wow… I really did it. Well glad to know one of us thought like… that!" Arturo cries as the weaken ground beneath him collapses and falls back into the edge of the pitfall trap. Time freezes as the sight leaves Papyrus horrified, his hand reaching out for him in a vain effort.

 _No, my friend! I cannot lose you! I don't care that you're human! You're my friend!_ Papyrus thought, yet helpless to do anything as his legs lie broken and useless.

In that moment as Arturo falls away from him into the abyss, every other thought, concern, and feeling in the world go away. It leaves Papyrus with nothing except himself and Arturo, his hand helplessly reaching out to save his friend and wishing for nothing else.

"I'm flying! Holy cow, I'm really flying?! How am I flying?!" Papyrus reopens his sockets to find Arturo floating in midair, his soul blue and floating. He searches around for Sans or Gaster, until he notices the immense weight on his hand.

"Blue Magic! Goodness, I'm actually doing blue magic!" The rush of excitement breaks his concentration, sending Arturo falling along with the immense weight in his hand.

"Oh no! Please, not now! Oh, no, I don't know what to do! This is my first time!" Papyrus says as his hold on Arturo weakens, his soul flickering between blue and orange while he bounces in midair like a broken yo-yo. Overcome with fear, Papyrus cannot bring himself to see the scene.

"Papyrus." Papyrus opens his eyes to find Arturo with his arms outstretched for a hug. "Listen, I don't get this magic stuff. But it's just you and me now. It might be your first time, but I know you can do it."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're the Great Papyrus. You don't let your friends down. Do ya?" In that moment all the doubt and dread inside Papyrus disappears.

"You're right. The Great Papyrus never gives up on his friends!" Ignoring his weight, fighting the pain and inexperience, Papyrus focuses all his concentration and magic onto Arturo. With a great struggle, Papyrus takes control of Arturo, both their souls shining bright blue, banishing the darkness away. Despite having over a hundred pounds in his broken and tired hand, Papyrus brings Arturo out of the hole and brings him to safety over solid ground.

With Arturo secure and exhaustion and pain taking over, the blue magic dissipates, and they fall together side by side. It takes many desperate and rapid breathes before words can form. "Hey, Skeleton Kid! That was awesome, man. I knew you could do it."

"Indeed, and it was all thanks to you, Friend."

"No way! That was all on you, never would have made it this far without you, Friend." Arturo says and for a moment, all the pain goes away, replaced by pleasant pleasure. But a moment only lasts a moment.

"Aaaggh!" After ignoring the pain for so long, his legs refuse to be ignored for any longer. Arturo rushes to his side.

"Papyrus, no! There has to something I can do to help! Please, tell me what to do and I'll do it!" Arturo begs and despite the pain, Papyrus manages to speak.

"The shed… Father keeps monster candy there… It can heal... You have to get it…. Just please be-" Papyrus is silenced by Arturo's hand.

"No more chit-chat. Save your energy. I'll be right back." With that Arturo runs away and leaves Papyrus behind, yet he did feel alone, not at all.

 _Thank you, my friend; thank you for everything._ Papyrus thought as his vision goes blank from the pain. For how long he stays there, he doesn't know, but he remains confident his friend will return for him.

The pain relents with a probing of his mouth; Papyrus opens his mouth to chew and swallow pieces of monster candy. "There we go! Get better, little buddy."

The green magic does its work, both effectively and quickly. His legs' pain fades to a fraction of their former intensity. The breaks and cracks in his legs reform and recover, undoing a majority of the damage. Signs of the wounds remain, but they no longer plague him and will disappear on their own in time.

With a breath of relief from both of them, Papyrus is able to stand and reunite with Arturo. His manly bandana is gone now, not that it matters as Papyrus takes him into a great and tremendous hug. Arturo returns the embrace with a tender and caring hold, and Papyrus hopes their hug can prove to be inescapable, his greatest and most unsolvable puzzle.

"Thank you so much, friend! I don't care what anyone else says. You're the best, Arturo! Even greater than the Great Papyrus!" Papyrus declares as his soul bounces around inside him like a jack rabbit. Sadly, all good things must come to an end as Arturo separates to stare into his sockets, and in turn, Papyrus stares deeply into his teary brown eyes.

"Glad to hear that, Papyrus. I wanna say thank you, too. You done a real lot for me, and I'm glad I got to be your friend." His words are sweet, but an ugly feeling crawls up his spine as his smile seems to turn false, his eyes holding back tears.

"Friend, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Papyrus. I got great news actually. I'm gonna go back home to the Surface. If your soul is strong enough, you can get past the barrier." The news sounds great, but Papyrus does not like where this is going.

"Ah so we can finally-"

"No. You gotta stay here Papyrus. Only humans can go to the Surface right now. Besides, you gotta stay here with your dad and bro."

"But… But we're friends. Friends stick together," Papyrus says and Arturo's head hangs away to the ground.

"You're right. But there's stuff I gotta fix back at Home, things only I can do; and thanks to you, I'm not scared anymore. You helped me a real lot and now I'm gonna do the same. Besides, Mami and Papi told me that best friends are never gone. Even if I'm not here, we'll always be together. Right here." Arturo covers his chest over his heart and over Papyrus ribcage. He loves and despises his words, but he finds himself in no mood to argue with his best friend.

"Very well, but I will miss you. Rest assured, friend, everyone will know what you did-"

"Actually, can you make a promise before I go? Can you keep us a secret? It's really important you don't tell anyone about me or what happened." His request blows Papyrus to pieces, not understanding how in the Underground he can ask him to do such a thing. To lose his friend is hard enough, but to never acknowledge him again. He may as well be asking him to grow skin and turn into a human so he could join him on the surface.

"But why?!"

"It's for the best. You got hurt because of me. You almost died because of me. Friends don't let friends turn into dust." Papyrus sees his reasoning, but struggles to accept it without a fight.

"I will get stronger. I promise I will. The Great Papyrus will be the strongest monster in the whole underground. No matter what it takes, I will do it, and you will never have to worry about hurting me again, friend." His words bring a fleeting smile to Arturo.

"I'm sure you will… no, I know you will. No one can stop the Great Papyrus!"

"But you're my friend. How can I keep that a secret?"

"I know it won't be easy, but you gotta. Bad things might happen if they learn you helped a human or if I helped a monster. I don't want any bad stuff to happen to you. So please, promise me. Promise me you'll keep this a secret." It seems impossible, but Papyrus could not avoid the seriousness of his voice nor the sincerity drawn on his face.

As hard as it is, it will be far harder for him to deny his best friend. "Alright. I promise to keep your secret, as long you promise me to be safe and well, my friend. You're my first friend ever." They seal the deal in another hug.

"Don't worry about me, Papyrus, I'll be fine. Besides, I know you'll have plenty of friends one day. You're the coolest dude I've ever met. Anyone would be lucky to call you friend. Until then, we'll be best friends forever…"

"…And ever. I like that a lot. If I find a way to the surface and your Home, do you promise to hang out with me?" After a long period, Arturo replies with his voice broken. Papyrus does not doubt this separation is just as harmful for him as it is for himself.

"Sure. No problem, buddy. I'll be waiting for ya at Home. Take all the time you need. Now go back to your dad and bro. They need ya." Despite the difficulty, they break the hug and separate away, Papyrus leaves with a heavy heart but with a stronger spirit. He walks backwards to keep the image of his friend around for as long as he can.

"Good bye, and good luck to you, Arturo." With a wave of their arms, they finally depart away from each other. Neither breaking sight with each other until distance and darkness finally take them away from each other. Despite his broken soul, Papyrus could not have been anymore happier to have made his first friend.

Arturo is the same as he waves goodbye and remains where he stands, looking on with tears streaming across his face and tears in his heart.

"So, human, is your business done?" General Anthony emerges behind him, the manly bandana in his hand. With a defiant face, Arturo faces the tall, imposing, simian boss monster with twin swords.

"Yeah, I'm done. Just remember our deal. Nothing bad happens to Papyrus or his family." Arturo demands and willingly submits to the Boss Monster before him with his arms held above his head in surrender.

"You have my word, but you don't have to worry about him, human. Thank you for making my job so easy." Arturo does not see the punch landing as darkness takes him into unconsciousness and General Antony takes the captured human over his shoulder and marches off to New Home.

\- The Present -

"And that is why I must wait for the human, Sans," Papyrus says.

"Huh? What are you talking about; you didn't explain anything, Paps." Sans says in confusion.

"Exactly! Now you know everything! Besides, I am the great Papyrus; don't you have any faith in your brother?"

"That's not my point Paps. I just don't want to see you get hurt. You remember what dad told us about humans." Papyrus is touched by his brother's concern, and brings his comforting hand to his shoulder.

"I know brother, but you do not have to worry about me. I have been getting ready for this day for a long time. Once I capture the human and join the royal guard, everyone will see I am strong enough to protect all of us and they will never leave us." Papyrus declares with full confidence. "As for the human, once he learns, I believe he will understand, too."

"How can you be so sure about that, bro?" Sans asks and Papyrus faces the shed standing behind their home.

"I don't believe all humans are bad, Sans. I believe we can all be friends together."

"I really hope you're right, bro. I really do, Paps."


	18. Chapter 18: Skin and Bones

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 18

* * *

Frisk's reddened eyes open with a tiresome effort, his bones crack and body aches as he arises out of his makeshift bed and stretches his limbs to his endless satisfaction. Yet his body wishes to drop and return to sleep.

"Ugh... I was just sleeping; isn't that supposed to make me less tired?" Frisk releases an expansive yawn that echoes inside Maribel's room.

"Thanks for the alarm, Frisk." Maribel stretches her wings and casts a wide shadow over Frisk. She lets go of her stalactite and drops. She breaks her fall with her wings to flip around and lands on her feet with a stagger.

"Wow. Wish I could do that."

"Grow some razor-sharp claws and I'll teach ya how to sleep upside down if ya like, Frisk." She splays her claws out for his amusement. "You know, Frisk, if you really want, we can go back to Snowdin Town together and have some fun, or maybe Dad can take both of us on another crystal hunt!" Her voice is excited as she pleads; it brings a sorrowful sigh to Frisk.

"As much I would really love to hang out upside down with you a lot longer, I really do have to be going now." His words bring a frown to her face, the same one on his face.

"Do you really have to go, Frisk? I mean, I know things got a bit tense between you and dad yesterday. But everything is okay now, right?"

"Yeah, everything is alright, but I have to move on now. I've been putting this off long enough and I really can't hide any longer. Besides, if I stay too long, you and your dad might get trouble for helping a human, and I don't want that to happen." Frisk rises from his bed and heads for the doorway.

"I guess that makes sense. I just hate goodbyes... and I don't want them to hurt you." Her voice cracks with every word.

 _This can't be easy for her, to know I'm leaving... and might not come back._ Frisk thought as he returns to give her a hug. Her wings wrap tightly around him, and while the wet leather feeling is strange, Frisk would not have it any other way.

"Maribel, I promise I'll be okay. Once I find my mom, she'll know what to do and how to fix everything!" Frisk says, and he spies a sparkle of light in the grayness of her eyes.

"Well, Frisk, good luck with all that. I hope you find... whatever makes you happy," Maribel speaks with a reassuring smile. "At least let me walk you out; it's the least you can do for me." She gives him a playful but soft punch to his arm.

"There's the Maribel I know." With that, they leave the room and go down the staircase toward the exit, both of them in a contest on who can be the slowest. Yet as they enter the main living room, both come in last place.

"Good morning, children. Had a good night's rest?" Francis stands in the kitchen with a back-pack.

"Dad!" Maribel runs over to her father where they exchange a brief but strong hug. "We slept real good."

"I am happy to hear that. Oh, and Frisk..." Hearing his name from Francis, an odd but welcome feeling, he almost wishes he could stay long enough to get used to it. "I took the initiative to prepare some supplies for your journey ahead of you."

He approaches and hands him a backpack with some weight, but not overwhelming. "You will find food, water, a map of the underground, and some extra G in there."

"Dad, that's awesome! I'm so happy you and Frisk are friends, too!" Maribel cries as Francis rubs her forehead while Frisk puts on his new backpack.

"They should help you find your way. Oh, and one other thing. Maribel, some privacy, please." Maribel nods; she leaves and folds her ears to weaken her hearing. Francis crouches down to Frisk's level, and to his surprise, there is no desire to shield himself or run away. Instead, the vampire bat monster's presence is comforting and brings a smile to his face.

"Please take this warning and do not forget it. Undyne is the leader of the Royal Guard, and the finest warrior Monsterkind has known in generations. Even if you pass her, King Asgore guards the barrier in the heart of New Home, and he is the strongest monster in the Underground. I say this not to frighten you, but so you will know what lies ahead of you. Be ready for them, for they will be ready for you." His words spark fear in his soul, but he cannot blame Francis for it.

Even without his warning, he knows he will have to face them to reach his Mother. But before he can face them, there is one final puzzle to solve in Snowdin.

"Thank you, Mr. Francis; I'll do whatever I can to get past them." Frisk can tell his words do not make him happy.

"I hope it will not come to that, Frisk. They are both beloved across the Underground, and your greatest shield down here will be your love and mercy. Fight them, and you will have to fight the Underground." Francis rises and goes to the door.

 _Yeah, easier said than done,_ Frisk thought as King Asgore and Undyne restore his fear, yet he cannot deny it is smaller and weaker than before thanks to his time with Francis and Maribel. Knowing the monsters have valid cause to fear him, and he can never return to his naiveté. But questions still linger within his mind.

 _But why do they have to fight me? Why can't they let me go?_ Frisk walks to the exit as Francis holds the door open for him.

"Dad, I told Frisk I would keep him company. Will you let me go with him?" Maribel asks as she takes his side. A long pause follows as Francis hangs off the door with an uneasy face. Frisk does not want the burden that must have been on his back, to send his final family out alone with a human. Considering what happened the last time a member of his family met a human. Frisk could see Francis had his own hard journey ahead of him. But a smile tells him he has taken his own first step.

"By all means, keep Frisk company, sweetie, for as long as he needs you." His words bring a giant smile to Maribel. "Just do not delay or stray too far, or I will have to come searching for you, and when I find you, I will do this to my precious, sweet little Maribel." Francis crouches to give her a big kiss on her forehead.

"Dad! Not in front of Frisk! How many times do I have to say I'm not a little kid anymore?!" Her tantrum brings much needed joy to them. Francis steps aside to allow them to leave. They nearly do when Francis speaks.

"How many times, at least once more. Oh, Frisk, I nearly forgot to ask. Do you walk in your sleep?" The question hits Frisk like a curve ball.

"No, I don't. I never have; at least, no one ever told me I did."

"Strange. I could have sworn I heard the door open last night at some point. Perhaps it was just my imagination."

"Dad, you just need to fix that door. That's all it is," Maribel says, eager to leave as she takes Frisk's hand into her wing and hops upon her feet.

"Perhaps, you are right. Well, Frisk, I do not know how you plan to deal with the Barrier. Many monsters have tried and failed. But I hope you find a way back to your Mother; you deserve that much. Best of luck and wishes to you." Francis extends a wing out to him and Frisk takes it as they shake without hesitation, grievance, or fear.

"Thank you, Mr. Francis. I promise I won't forget you," Frisk says with a smile.

"Nor will I. Thank you, too… Frisk." Francis returns his smile. Frisk and Maribel depart across the field together as her home becomes distant behind them.

They return to Snowdin Town. Activity remains low since the monsters remain unaware of his humanity. It brings some relief to Frisk, but every step he takes forward becomes smaller and slower. Not helping is the unusual silence form Maribel, who clings to him like he is her only life line; the same reason Frisk holds onto her.

When they reach Snowdin's outskirts, a dense and heavy fog lies before them. The air grows warmer and humid the further they get away from Snowdin Town. A mixed blessing for Frisk as Snowdin's cold is firmly behind him, but he knows who stands in his way before he can face the remainder of the Underground. A challenge that can only end in his defeat if he refuses to fight.

"Frisk, is something wrong?" Maribel asks. Frisk did not notice that he stopped moving.

"There's someone waiting for me."

"Who?" Maribel asks in confusion.

"I don't know. He likes cooking really good puzzles and really bad pasta. He's probably the biggest goof ball I've ever met. But he really wants to be a royal guard, and the only way to do that is to capture… a human."

"You mean Papyrus."

"Sans says he's harmless; couldn't hurt a fly. I really want to believe him, but what won't he say to protect his brother? I just don't understand what he wants from me. And I don't want to find out." Frisk pulls the tough glove and manly banana from his pockets and holds them in his hands. They are light, but in his hands, they weigh heavily with a stolen lifetime cut short.

"I know what a human did to your mom. I am so sorry that happened to you. I can understand why monsters wouldn't like me and would be scared of me. I was terrified of you all when I first came down here and I would have done anything to protect myself. But thanks to you and your dad, I get it now. You might be monsters, but you're just like us in a lot of ways. We laugh when we're happy, we cry when we're sad, and we both have Moms." Frisk stiffens and tightens his grip on the glove and bandana.

"If I want to see Mom, I got no choice but to go forward and face him. But I don't know if he knows that about me and I don't want to… die. Down here, all… alone." Frisk starts to cry as his words and thoughts overwhelm him.

"Look at me, I haven't done anything and I'm already crying. It's like you said; I really am a kid." His trance is broken when Maribel takes his hands into her wings.

"I never got to say goodbye to Mom. She was there and then she was gone. There were so many things I wanted to ask her, to do with her, and now I'll never have the chance. People think I'm okay now, but I would give everything in the whole world just to have one minute to say goodbye." Maribel says, her voice breaking into pieces and her eyes tear.

"I've never told that to anyone, not even Dad. And look at what you've done, Frisk, now you got me crying, too. Guess that makes me a kid, too."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"For a long time, I was scared of humans. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I had so many questions in my head. Why did you take my mom away? What did she do wrong? Are you coming back to take dad or me away? If I was older and stronger, could I have saved her? It went on for so long that I hated you guys! I've never told anyone that."

"Why?" He asks, despite knowing why she would have those feelings and unable to blame her for possessing them. Her words shock him to his core.

"I was scared of what they would say or do if they knew. Having those feelings made me feel bad, ugly, and so weak. I didn't want to be stuck like that. Guess that's why I didn't want to be a kid anymore. I just wanted to grow up and get better… But I still miss Mom so much." Her voice is tender and feeble. Frisk grabs her shoulders to support her.

"I appreciate you telling me all this, but why are you telling me all this?" She turns her head to face him.

"Because, Frisk; you telling me all that stuff is the second bravest thing I've ever heard. It's not easy to say the bad stuff inside of you out loud like that. But you did it, and if you could do it, then so could I!" Maribel says as her tears give way to a smile, one which Frisk matches.

"Only the second?"

"Talking is one thing, doing is another. Now go down there and face Papyrus. Come on, Frisk. You beat me, you beat my dad of all people, and you can totally get past Papyrus. He might be annoying, but he's no killer. You're the bravest person I've ever met. I know that, now go down there and prove it." She punches him to push him forward. Frisk does not move, but he is beyond moved by her words and encouragement.

"Maribel… Thank you for everything; you're the best friend I've ever had... the only one, too. I won't let you down." Frisk puts on the manly banana and tough glove, their heavy weight gone, replaced by courage.

"Just don't forget your promise."

"I won't." They exchange one final hug before departing their separate ways, as Maribel goes back to Snowdin Town and Frisk approaches the edge of the fog that covers the field.

"Well, no going back now. Time to find out what happens next." Frisk closes his eyes and takes a heavy breath, basking in the moment. Even in spite of her words, he wants to stay there forever and wait for his Mother to come and find him. But a piece of him possesses different plans.

Frisk is Filled with Determination.

Frisk moves forward, the fog surrounds him and engulfs the world in a thick white. The fog leaves the path and the obstacle ahead unknown, but Frisk does not stop.

"Human," a monster says.

"Papyrus," Frisk whispers under his breath.

"Thank you for coming, Human. I did not know when to expect you, so I waited here all night and day you until arrived."

 _Wow. You are crazy_. Frisk gulps since he cannot find Papyrus amidst the thick fog. All he could do is follow the sound of his chirpy voice with his eyes glued to the ground.

"Before we begin, allow me to tell you some complex feelings, like… the joy of finding another pasta lover... The admiration for another's puzzle solving skills... The desire to have a cool, smart person think you are cool."

 _Or maybe you aren't?_ Frisk raises his head to scan his surroundings.

"These feelings… they must be what you are feeling right now!"

 _Or maybe I'm giving you too much credit._ Frisk lets out a sigh, but stops when he spots a stationary shadow ahead of him with a flowing scarf.

"I can hardly imagine what it must feel like to feel that way. After all, I am the very great Papyrus. I don't ever wonder what having lots of friends is like."

 _Yeah, your friends?_ Frisk thought as he approaches the living puzzle of Papyrus. The monster who loves friendship, but with friends nowhere to be found. The puzzle master and spaghetti cook who wants to become a royal guard. The monster is a skeleton of death but full of so much life. The one thing he knows for certain is that Papyrus wishes to capture him.

"I pity you… Lonely human. Worry not! You shall be lonely no longer." Papyrus steps towards Frisk and emerges close enough that he becomes visible in the fog. He wears his battle armor, ready for a fight, but he bears a wide and shining grin that puts all others to shame.

 _What are you saying...? Do you want to fight me or not?_ Frisk is left in a state of confusion, both afraid and not at the approach and appearance of Papyrus.

"Listen, Papyrus, I know it wasn't your fault with the puzzles. I'm sorry I got angry with you. I have to honest; I'm scared to find out what's going to happen next. But please, we don't have to fight each other." Frisk could tell that even Papyrus is surprised.

"Wowie. No one has ever told me that before. You really mean that, Human?" Papyrus clasps his fists together.

"Course, cross my heart and hope to…" Frisk takes a heavy gulp and places his hand over his chest. "Not die."

"Human, you are making my feelings more complex than before. I must confess that I am not sure what to do, either. Fighting is such a nasty business. I never liked doing that, but Undyne says I must. It is also my penance for ruining your love of puzzles."

"We can go back to puzzles! I still love puzzles! We can solve every puzzle in the world together! Just let me pass, please!" Frisk begs, hoping to resolve this fight as peacefully and painlessly as possible.

"Very well. I, the Great Papyrus, will be you…" Frisk's spirits rise to the ceiling as he awaits his words. "No, this is all wrong. I can't be your friend!" They crash like a meteorite from the space. "I must capture you! Then, I can fulfill my lifelong dream!" Papyrus strikes a defiant stance, yet he does not approach or make any aggressive moves.

"There has to be another way you can become a royal guard!" Frisk asks.

"I apologize, human, but there is no other way. With your capture, I will become powerful! Popular! Prestigious! Everyone will want to be my friend, and I will be strong enough to protect them. I will be just like Undyne, they will look to me and say... 'That's Papyrus! The newest member of the Royal Guard!'" Papyrus makes a heroic pose, but something about it seems fake. His bones shake and his smile is smaller than normal.

"Well, if that's what it's come to... Fine. At least now I know for sure who you are. I just want you to know that I got a dream, too, and I'm not going to let you stop me." Frisk steps forward, not happy but committing to his choice.

"I understand human; may I make one request? Can you please remove those garments? It makes this rather difficult for me." Frisk wonders if that request is real, for Papyrus to care about the clothes he wears to battle. An odd request from such an odd monster, why not.

"No thanks. I'm not going to make this any easier than it already is."

 _Besides I'm not going to fight... Can't get any easier than that. So how the heck am I supposed to beat him?_ Frisk thought under a nervous sweat.

"Very well, human..." His voice sounds disappointed.

"Let our duel commence." Lines of bones materialize out of the ground. One remains behind Papyrus to cut off any exit while the others slide towards him at a rapid speed in rows. With little time to react, Frisk jumps over them as they make their approach. Fortunately, they do not reach high and Frisk overcomes them with a game of leap frog.

"Impressive moves, human. Now it is your turn!" Papyrus goes idle and Frisk waits, turning the fight into a standstill.

"My turn?! What kind of fight has turns?!" Frisk does not know what surprises him more, the attack or the fact it's his turn to fight back now.

"Indeed, human. Those are the rules I follow! I took my turn and now you can take your turn. We may be fighting, but there is no reason we cannot be civilized about it."

"What, is this your first time fighting someone?!"

"Indeed it is. Consider yourself lucky that you will have the honor of facing against the Great Papyrus in his first ever duel! Nyeh heh heh!"

 _Oh my gosh, he is actually serious!_ Surprise piles on Frisk more and more. If the pile physically appeared beside him, he could escape from the underground now.

"I don't fight. I made a promise to not fight anyone. Guess that means we have to stop down now."

"Very well, I have acknowledged that you have elected to skip your turn." Papyrus raises his arms and summons another row of bones that charge at him from front and behind.

"Wait, I didn't mean-!" Frisk could not finish. He leaps front and back at a rapid manner to evade both attacks. While he evades the row of bones from the front, his second jump is too short and the rear bones slam into his feet. They do not hit him with tremendous force, but they're enough to knock him onto the snowy ground.

 _Okay... Now I know who the stronger brother is._ Frisk returns to his feet, and there is no second wave to catch him while he is down for the count. _Guess I'll count myself lucky he fights fair._ A long period of silence and inactivity passes, as the fight grinds to another stalemate.

"I know what you're waiting for. It's not gonna happen! I'm not gonna change my mind and I'm not going to stop until you do."

"So, you won't fight!" Papyrus grabs his chin to ponder. "Well, let's see if you can handle my fabled Blue attack." Blue bones appear from out of the ground and charge towards Frisk.

"Oh no... Gotta move, gotta-! Wait, no I don't! Blue stop signs!" Frisk ceases his frantic fidgeting and goes motionless as a mountain. When the bones arrive, they harmlessly pass through him to his relief.

"Thanks a lot Sans. I owe you... Why is my Soul blue?" Frisk's soul appears before him without his awareness and in a shade of deep blue as opposed to Red. Before he can contemplate, his soul becomes an anchor that drags him to the ground. Frisk lifts himself but struggles as his soul is heavy. "What's going on?!"

"You're Blue now! That's my attack! When my bones hit you, they infused blue magic into your soul. It will not last forever, but it will help you with the remainder of the fight. Think, human, and your soul will be as heavy or as light as you need it to be." Frisk concentrates and true to his word, his soul returns to its normal weight allowing him to stand normally and cradles his soul in his hand under a protective guard.

Yet he does not consider that the strangest thing. "You're helping me... in a fight?"

"Of course! I can see why you do not fight. You know less than I do. Nyeh heh heh! There is no honor to be found in a fight if both opponents do not have a chance at victory! That is what Undyne has always told me. Not that you can defeat the Great Papyrus! But you are welcome to try!" He beats his chest to congratulate himself.

"Wow! Thanks a lot." Frisk feels oddly touched by Papyrus' kind efforts and rules. "I wish all fights were like this."

"Perhaps after I capture you, I can bring you to Undyne and she can teach you how to fight yourself!" Papyrus summons another row of bones. These are far taller than the previous, easily double or triple his own height; no normal human jump will be enough to avoid them.

"No thanks!" Frisk shouts as he charges behind him away from Papyrus. That is when another line of stationary bones rises to block his exit.

"There is no running now, human; you must stand your ground or give up." Frisk beats on the bones to break them down, but they are harder than steel and he cannot slide through them. He turns around to see the tall bones approaching him with no escape.

No, I can't lose like this. Not when I've come this far! How am I going to-! His soul's blue color shines brightly to remind him. "My Soul!" Frisk takes his soul and imagines being as light as a feather; his feet float off the ground.

"Oh my gosh, it's working! I'm flying! I'm actually flying!" Frisk shouts in between laughter as he soars into the air along with his spirits. He is so spellbound by this flight; he forgets he is in a fight when the bones reach him and bring him tumbling back to the ground. The pain is not great, but enough to take the wind out of him.

"Okay, that one is on me." Frisk sticks his arm into the air before he drops to the ground.

"You require more practice, human. Why, you remind me of myself before I met Undyne. But look at me now. Nyeh heh heh!" Papyrus flexes his arms and Frisk could barely contain a laugh as he returns to his feet.

"Am I still asleep? Is this like the dream fight we're having and the real fight is gonna happen when I wake up?" Frisk asks with smirking disbelief.

"This is no dream, human! You are dealing with the Great Papyrus after all! The champion of the Underground, the defender of Snowdin, and the finest royal guard... in training." Frisk covers his mouth to contain his laughter.

"Yeah, you're like a real Superhero; you can be Aluminum Man. That way you can foil crime." Frisk tries to contain his laughter.

"Aluminum Man! You can use aluminum to keep spaghetti nice and fresh and to call me a hero too! Your flattery is so touching, human, but I am a skeleton with very high standards, so you will have to try harder than that. Nyeh heh heh!"

"Well, I know how to cook spaghetti, too," Frisk says in a flattering voice.

"Oh no! You're meeting all my standards!" Papyrus covers his mouth in shock.

"Why was I scared of you again?" Frisk asks. The monster summons another tall line of bones that charge towards him.

"Oh yeah, that's why." Frisk runs back in a panic, but stops when two lines of bones charge at him from behind. With no way front or back, he is left with one option as he grabs his soul.

"Okay, concentrate. Concentrate!" Frisk closes his eyes and blots out the bones to calm himself; ironically, Papyrus's antics amuse him and make the task easy. His soul carries him high into the air. He struggles to float in midair but he soars up as high as he can. This allows him to evade both attacks as they collide into each other with a thunderous crash.

Frisk opens his eyes and finds himself high above the air and Papyrus far below him. The altitude makes the sight astonishing as Frisk cheers from his vantage point. He turns around and spies a sea of white woods and the homes of Snowdin behind him and vast fields of blue water and green wetlands ahead of him. The higher he rises, the same goes for his exhilaration as flight is an experience beyond description that overwhelms Frisk.

An idea comes to mind, and with a gasp he commands his soul to take him away from the arena. That is when his soul flashes red and he drops significantly. It throws him into a panic.

"Nuh uh uh, Human." Papyrus wags his finger. "Cheating is not allowed. Besides, if you go too far, my magic will drain away and you will fall to the ground in a nasty splat. So please come back where it is safe!" Papyrus shouts in a confident voice that descends into concern.

Frisk falls further and navigates himself back to their makeshift arena, the blue magic growing stronger as he returns. Frisk considers landing somewhere else, but the arena is surrounded by rivers of water that drain into the next region. With no other option, he returns to their arena.

 _Great! How am I supposed to beat him? There's no way for me to avoid him and he is way stronger than me. The only reason I'm lasted this long is because he's not really fighting me. But this can't go on forever, I'll get tired and... Wait. Souls have limits, like batteries._ Frisk lands opposite to Papyrus where he stands ready to face him. _Okay, Sans; I trust you._

"Papyrus. I think I'm ready to fight. And you know what they say about humans. So you better hit me with everything you got. I can handle it!" Frisk says as he raises his head to face Papyrus with a thumbs up.

"W-Well. That's not what I expected..." Papyrus says as he drops his skull into his cradling hand.

"Huh!?" Frisk rubs his eyes to clear his vision. When he finishes, Papyrus' smiling skull is restored back onto his head. "This fog must be playing tricks on me." Frisk returns his firm attention to Papyrus.

"If you insist, human. As my brother Sans would say, you have a quite bone to pick with me. I can almost taste my future popularity!" Papyrus summons additional rows of bones and even bones in his hands.

"Well, when you capture me, just promise you won't put me in a rib cage," Frisk says to restore his mood and they share another of laughter as their fight continues.

"I give you my word, human. I will be a royal guard in training no longer. I shall become Papyrus, head of the Royal Guard, and an unparalleled spaghettore," Papyrus declares as he sends lines of bones charging towards Frisk.

They vary in height and approach Frisk at a rapid speed, rising higher with each line that charges at him. Frisk leaps higher to avoid the bones, each one harder than the previous as they reach ever higher until they surpass three times his height. Thanks to the blue magic in his soul, he is able to evade them, with the last one hitting the tips of his shoes.

"Undyne will be proud of me! The King will trim a hedge in the shape of my face!" Papyrus declares and throws a barrage of bones at him in shades of blue and white.

They take Frisk off guard as he remains in the air. The evasion is harder and a few bones manage to hit him as he loses track of their color or course. But they hit with all the impact of softballs. Frisk soars like a bat to avoid the white bones, and holds still to allow the blue bones to pass him. It takes time and effort, but thanks to his training with Sans, he learns the attack pattern. A thrill races throughout his body as he maneuvers through a storm of bones like a real pro.

"My brother… well, he will not change very much," Papyrus says with an elongated sigh, and it saddens Frisk as he returns to the ground and remembers Sans' final piece of advice in fighting his brother.

"He might not change, but believe me when I say Sans really cares about you. He is your brother, after all." Frisk reassures Papyrus, and his smile returns.

"Your words are true and kind, human. I hope you and Sans will be there to see me take my rightful place!" Papyrus summons lines of bones: large blue bones followed by small white ones. A tricky attack, as Frisk will have to time his stillness and leaps to avoid both attacks. Frisk finds luck as they move slower and he evades them with his calculated leaps. Yet the attacks no longer bring fear or dread to Frisk; instead, they fill him with excitement and energy.

"C'mon, Papyrus! You can do better than that. Show me what the greatest royal guard ever can really do!" Frisk shouts to encourage Papyrus to drain his magical energy. His words take Papyrus by surprise.

"I'll have lots of admirers… but will anyone like me as much as you do? Someone like you is really rare," Papyrus says as his voice and stature falters.

He raises bones of varying heights that rise on one side and fall on the other side. A pyramid of bones, it forces Frisk to make one single massive leap over the pyramid to evade all the bones. It is not easy, as Frisk struggles to control the blue magic in his soul, but he makes a leap so great and grand that he manages to surpass the entire attack and lands in front of Papyrus. His breaths come in deep gasps as his body becomes weary, but Frisk can tell the same applies for Papyrus as he is no longer able to strike his grandiose poses.

"Human, please. You must stop and allow me to capture you already. We will not able to do any of what you say if you continue to fight." Papyrus says in-between gasps.

"Fight? I haven't fought you yet. Come on, Papyrus, don't give up on me yet. I'm having a blast! And you said no cheating. You want to capture me, than you have to do it fair." Frisk says as he stands in front of Papyrus, yet he does not lift a single fist against him. His skull torn between fun and frustration, Papyrus' arms fall and for a moment he doesn't do anything.

"Perhaps we do not have to…Ugh! Who cares! Give up or you will have to face my special attack, human!" The monster gains a second wind and his composure as he grabs the ground. Frisk stumbles where he stands.

Bones rises out of the ground to surround him like a cage. Frisk is shocked, not expecting a move like that. He climbs the bones, using the blue magic to speed his efforts to reach the top before the bones can close in on him. Frisk leaps back down to the ground and Papyrus growls in his frustration.

"Human! Don't make me use my special attack! You will not like it!" Papyrus tries to sound tough, but instead, he whines like a child.

His attacks become as desperate as his words, as bones charge through the ground and soar across the air at Frisk. Frisk is not afraid and goes still. In his tantrum, Papyrus painted all his bones blue. All of his attacks cause no harm, leaving a standing Frisk with a tired smile who welcomes a much needed break. Realizing what he did Papyrus stomps on the ground and shakes his fists in the air.

"This is your last chance before my special attack! It will defeat you, human. So please stop, I beg you." Papyrus declares as he stumbles in an attempt to raise his hand, unable to decide between pleading or posing. Frisk could feel his smile disappear and a pang in his heart.

 _Wow, capturing me really means that much to you._ Frisk has no intention of allowing Papyrus to capture him, but the sight of the lively Papyrus being broken like this saddens him.

 _Wait, this is a good thing. I shouldn't feel sorry for you? Once I defeat him, I can…_ His thoughts stop at the sight of Papyrus alone in front of him with not another soul in sight. He knows he has Sans, but he is family. No one else seems to like him as words and reactions stir his memories in Snowdin; in contrast, he has Sans, Toriel, Maribel, and Francis.

 _You don't have any friends, do you, Papyrus?_ Frisk realizes. Frisk does not have time to react as Papyrus summons another barrage of bone attacks. This time, they are a mixture of blues and whites.

This attack proves to be the most difficult one of them all. Bone lines of varying heights charge at him, spikes of bones rise from the ground, and bones soar through the air. By now, Frisk had gained enough mastery over the blue magic in his soul and evasion becomes an elaborate dance that takes him gliding across the snowy ground and into the air. Even when the bones manage to hit him, they cause little damage. The bones have lost most of their power, and Frisk takes it as another sign that the fight is almost over as he limbos to slide below the final line of bones. Papyrus throws his arms down.

"Well, human, do not say I did not warn you. Behold, my special attack!" Papyrus shouts, and yet not a thing happens. The fight comes to a complete standstill as silence takes hold of them both.

"I said behold, my special attack!" There is no change.

"Where is my…What the heck?!" Papyrus stands aside and to their shared surprise, a small white dog is chewing and slavering over a bone on the ground behind them.

"What the heck! That's my special attack!" The dog continues to partake in its enjoyment of the bone in spite of Papyrus' complaints and whines as he throws another tantrum. He shakes his fists in the air and stomps the ground, and Frisk finds himself fighting the urge to avoid laughter.

"Hey, you stupid dog! Do you hear me? Stop munching on that bone! Return my special attack!" The dog ignores Papyrus. Instead, it decides to take the bone into its mouth and drags it away from the arena. While the bone walls are enough to corral Frisk, the dog slips through the empty space in-between and takes the special attack away for dinner. The action leaves both Frisk and Papyrus dumbfounded.

"Well… I guess you could say that dog was bad to the bone." Frisk says, unable to think of anything else.

"Now you sound like Sans. Oh well… I'll just use a really cool normal attack!" Papyrus says in resignation. "Here's an absolutely normal attack."

Normal is not a word Frisk would use to describe the attack. As bones charge at him from the front and back, as they grow in height, forcing him to leap higher and higher until they force him into the air. As Frisk soars, he realizes he cannot fall back to the ground as the ground becomes a sea of bones that blanket the ground, keeping him trapped in air. Frisk struggles to remain afloat, knowing he cannot stray far from Papyrus before the blue magic runs out. Yet the bones continue to rise higher and higher, to Frisk's amazement.

 _How is this not the special attack?! What the heck did that dog take away?!_ Frisk thought as he flies higher until a single massive bone comes thundering towards him. He forces himself higher than he ever has before and his soul flickers between red and blue. He remains determined and goes flat as a board in midair where he holds his course until the bone can pass beneath him. Starting from his head, this bone glides an inch beneath his being, scraping him as it goes, until it passes his legs and feet.

"Oh, thank goodness," Frisk says with a gasp before he plummets to the ground with a yelp as the blue magic reaches its end. Frisk hits the ground and while the snow provides a cushion to soften the blow, it stings more than all of Papyrus's attacks put together. Frisk is left groveling upon the ground with a groan to release his pain. That is when something taps his forehead.

"Uhh…" Frisk opens his eyes as a single bone hits him in the face; it does not hurt, but it does manage to gain his attention.

"COOL DUDE," a group of bones spell out as they slide across in front of his eyes at a gentle speed to occupy as much of his attention and time as possible. Once the confusion and pain wear off, Frisk staggers to his feet. While the exhaustion in Papyrus is clear as the ceiling above them, Frisk knows he is not far off either as he is tired from head to toe. He grabs his side to steady himself and approaches Papyrus.

"Well, it's clear *huff*. You cannot *huff* hurt… defeat me. Yeah! I can see you shaking in your boots!" Papyrus bends over to grab his knee caps in-between heavy breaths.

"Yeah, you're right. I just don't stand a chance against the Great Papyrus." Frisk says with lesser exhaustion.

"I agree, human. Therefore, I, the Great Papyrus, elect to grant you pity. I shall spare you the humiliation of defeat and end our battle in a draw, if it pleases you."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Frisk spares Papyrus with his dropped arms. The fight comes to an end, as the bone walls crumble to pieces and disappear as Papyrus no longer has the magic to sustain them. In fact, all the bones disappear, leaving almost no sign that the fight ever took place.

"Well, human. I can fight no longer. You are a worthy opponent. You have earned passage. You are free to continue into Waterfall, if you so desire," Papyrus says as he turns his back. "You do not have to concern yourself with me or my puzzles ever again." His voice is weak and broken, and it almost brings Frisk to his knees, instead he goes to Papyrus' side.

"Nyoo hoo hoo. I can't even stop someone as weak as you. Undyne going to be so disappointed in me." Papyrus whispers, not realizing Frisk is standing next to him. Meanwhile, Frisk stares ahead into a whole new region of the Underground. He is many steps closer to the surface and his mother, with no one else standing in his way.

"I'll never join the Royal Guard… and…My Friend quantity will remain stagnant!"

"You know, Papyrus, if all you want is to be friends, I wouldn't mind being friends with you."

"Really! You want to be friends, with me? But why?! After everything I have done to you?" Papyrus says with absolute shock, even Frisk could not completely believe his own words.

"I'll be honest, I don't know myself. I really shouldn't want to do this and I really want to move on. I can't explain it any better than this. You're not as bad as I thought you were and I'm not scared of you anymore."

"You were frightened of me, human? Goodness, I had no idea. That is another thing I have never heard before, and I don't even have ears." Frisk chuckles, almost embarrassed of the fear he held against Papyrus.

"Well, you kept saying that you would capture and defeat me, and that you would never give up. How was I supposed to feel?" Frisk asks, eager to solve this puzzle. Papyrus grabs Frisk's back, yet he does not stutter or flinch at his touch and move.

"I apologize, human. I did not mean to mislead you like that. You see, Undyne, she is the head of the royal guard and she is admired, beloved, and respected by the whole underground. Everyone wishes to be her friend, and she is strong enough to keep them…" Papyrus takes a long pause before his voice dies into a whisper. "…around."

His hold tightens on his back, and Frisk finds security and warmth there, warmth that ignites the fire inside him to grow to a bonfire to keep him warm even during the coldest night of Snowdin.

"She is better than me at everything, and I wish to be just like her. Alas, I have failed." Frisk grabs Papyrus spine to reassure him; to his surprise, his bones are not cold but warm.

"If you want to make friends, Papyrus, you should just be yourself. You don't have to pretend to someone else. That's why I was scared of you. If I knew having a fight with you would be this fun, I would have done it way sooner!" Papyrus face explodes into an enormous smile.

"Really?! You truly wish to be my friend?! Well then… I guess I can make an allowance for you! Excuse me a moment." Papyrus walks away and raises his arms into the air. "I've finally made another friend!" He returns to Frisk, and to be polite, Frisk contains his laugh to a wide grin.

"You taught me a lot, Friend. Who knew all I needed to make pals…was to give people awful puzzles and then fight them! I am overjoyed that we are friends now."

"Yeah, me too," Frisk says with glee in his soul, yet a piece of him could not believe this actually happened.

"Since I am your friend now, I will help you on your journey, Friend. You wish to return to the surface, do you not? I'll give you this special information only royal guards are supposed to know." Frisk devotes all of his attention to Papyrus.

"If you wish to leave the underground, continue forward until you reach the end of the cavern. Then… when you reach the capital, cross the barrier. That's the magical seal trapping us all underground. Anything can enter through it, but nothing can exit it… Except someone with a powerful soul! Like you!" Frisk's smile manages the impossible task of surpassing Papyrus as all his hopes and dreams return to life with his words, undoing all the damage done by Amy.

"Papyrus, that's the best thing I've heard ever since I've met you. Thank you so much!" Frisk almost wanted to grovel at Papyrus feet and kiss the ground he walks upon.

"Yes, that's why the king wants to acquire a Human. He wants to open the barrier with Soul Power. Then us monsters can return to the surface!"

 _Don't know if that's a good idea, but I guess I wouldn't want to stay trapped down here, either. But yes, I finally got a way. Take that, Amy!_ Frisk thought.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you… to reach the exit you will have to pass through the King's castle. The King of all monsters…" Dread returns as Frisk hears that name and title.

"He is…a big fuzzy pushover! Everybody loves that guy. I am certain if you just say. "Excuse me Mr. Dreemurr, can I please go home?" He'll guide you right to the barrier himself." Frisk almost does not believe what he said.

"Really? The king is a pushover? Didn't see that coming, but thanks for all the help. I'm glad we're friends now." Frisk speaks with a smile.

"I as well! Anyway! That's enough talking! I have to remain in Snowdin to protect everyone else and to be a very cool friend! Feel free to come back anytime! I will tell the monsters that you are my friend and not to bother you anymore." Papyrus says, and Frisk could not have been any more pleased with the outcome of these events.

As Papyrus leaves him to run back into Snowdin Town, Frisk finds himself in a puzzle of what to do next.


	19. Chapter 19:  The Dating Game

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 19

* * *

"So, you came back to hang out with me! You must be really serious about this…" Papyrus says standing in front his house: a two-story standard brown home that would not be out of place on the surface. Snow covers the roof and greenery decorates its siding and posts as light and warmth peers out of a window.

"What can I say, I couldn't resist your offer for long." While Frisk's words are true, he is eager to spend time with his new friend without an overbearing father figure; his extensive exhaustion also contributed to his choice. Frisk did not expect that he would be recovering with the one who drove him to this tired point.

"I will have to take you someplace special for our hangout date. Come with me, Friend!" Papyrus takes Frisk by his hand and drags him down the main street of Snowdin, past its many stores, venues, and many witnesses. Despite his speed, Frisk can notice a change in the atmosphere of Snowdin. While far from tense, it no longer carries that casual vibe that renders him invisible.

The monsters stare at him as Papyrus takes him along for a ride. Their stares are heavier and carry caution in their eyes and his ears catch a few stray mentions of "Human." Frisk sighs deeply as any cover he might have had is blown. Had it not been for the fact he has already defeated the Royal Guard stationed in Snowdin, Frisk would worry. Yet none act against him, doing their best to avoid attracting attention, and Frisk is happy to meet their request. If only Papyrus is willing to do the same.

"We have arrived!" Papyrus proclaims and Frisk collapses to the ground from the chase, remnant soreness from the fight, and his weary mind.

"Well, Papyrus, I guess you managed to capture me after all," Frisk says muffled into the snowy ground. Frisk hopes there will not be many monsters at the site Papyrus chose. Papyrus grabs underneath his shoulders and effortlessly lifts him into the air to reveal the location.

"Welcome to my house!" Papyrus shouts as Frisk finds himself outside the door of the house he was standing in front of mere moments ago.

"You're still not going to capture me, are you?" Frisk asks.

"No, we are going to hang out together, Friend! And it will be the greatest hangout in the history of hanging out!" Frisk shakes within Papyrus grasps, overcome with excitement at the prospect of their date. He pushes the door and prances inside, swinging Frisk in a circle before placing him upon the ground. With his hands free, Papyrus makes a show of them as he displays his home to Frisk.

As it is from the outside, the home is split into two floors. There is a wide living and dining room on the first floor with a separate room for the kitchen. A staircase leads to the second floor, with three doors which open into bedrooms. Frisk relishes the warmth of the air and the soft carpet on the ground.

 _Sorry Maribel, but his house is better than yours._ Frisk removes his shoes and socks to walk about the soft carpeting. His toes squirm and dig themselves into the carpet after two days of stone, snow, and snow covered stone; it is pure ecstasy on his feet.

"This is our living room! Feel free to look around and make yourself at home." With a simple couch, TV, dining table, and nightstand, it seems more suited for Sans than it does for its other host.

"Umm… and here I thought the living room would be a skeleton's least favorite room," Frisk says and approaches the dining table where a single plate lies with a rock at its center covered in sprinkles.

"I see you have found my brother's pet rock. He always forgets to feet it. As usual, I have taken up his responsibilities." He spins the plate to find two goggle eyes glued to it and a frowny face drawn with a permanent marker.

"You're doing a great job already." Frisk passes to the next sight on the side of the room. A pile of dirty socks on the ground set next to the nightstand with a long string of yellow sticky notes.

Sans! Please pick up your sock collection.

Ok.

Don't put it back down! Move it!

Ok.

You moved it two inches! Move it to your room!

Ok.

And don't bring it back!

Ok.

It's still here!

Didn't you say not to bring it back to my room?

Forget it!

Frisk chuckles at their argument amusing. He takes a sticky note and adds his own note to the collection: Nice sock collection, Sans!

Frisk slips forward a bit on the floor and collides into a nightstand, causing a book to fall from the top. "Friend, are you alright? My brother's sock collection did not hurt you, did it?"

"I'm fine, it was… my fault?" Frisk grasps the joke book that fell off the nightstand. Within the pages is a chapter dedicated to quantum mechanics and a theorem on alternative timelines, but aside from a mention of some guy's cat, Frisk has no idea what any of this means. Frisk gives the book no additional thoughts as he returns it to its spot and follows Papyrus into the kitchen.

"I am certain you must be hungry after your long trip, Friend. Allow me to find something for you." They arrive in the kitchen where there is a stove, refrigerator, and a sink which reaches the room's ceiling.

"My brother always goes out to eat. But I have no idea why when he lives with a master chief like me! But recently he has tried to bake something. It was like… a quiche, but filled with a sugary non-egg substance. I find it absurd how anyone could prefer such a thing over spaghetti." Papyrus' words send a bomb soaring into Frisk's stomach to detonate; his attention turns to the fridge and he dreads what he will find inside.

"I see you are interested in my food museum. Please, friend, you are free to peruse my culinary art show, for I am a master!" Papyrus shouts as Frisk finds a fridge half-filled to the brim with plates of spaghetti in varying states of decay and abandonment. The other half houses a bag of potato chips.

The rancid smell of rot alone would have made this the perfect trap to guarantee his defeat. "You can eat some now if you wish, Friend!"

"No thank you, I'm not hungry right now."

"Very well, we shall eat later before you depart." Frisk dreads the future, but hides his feelings to avoid being rude. In a way, he knows he deserves what is coming for his losing his temper against Papyrus.

"I'm looking forward to it already!" Frisk closes the door and runs to the sink for water to wash down the bugs trying to escape his stomach, only to remember he would need three clones of himself to reach the faucet.

"I can tell you are impressed, Friend! I increased the height of the sink all by myself. Now I can fit more bones underneath it!"

"You know what, Papyrus? For once, I'm not surprised at all, and yeah, it is impressive." Frisk opens the door. Inside is not another sink, but a small white dog chewing on the remains of Papyrus' special attack.

"What?! How did you get in there?" With his cover blown, the dog takes the bone and charges past Frisk before he can react. Papyrus pursues the dog in a frenzy around his living room, as the dog is just as desperate to escape as Papyrus is to capture him.

"Catch that meddling canine!" Frisk tries to help, but the dog manages to outrun both of them, sending them on a wild dog chase around the living room before the annoying dog reaches the door and escapes. Scurrying outside and taking the special attack with him for the ride, as Papyrus drops his arms in defeat.

"Curses! I cannot even capture a dog." From the upper floor, Sans emerges from a door to play a few musical notes on his trombone. "Sans, stop plaguing my life with incidental music!"

"Sorry. Oh, and welcome home, kid!" Sans says.

"Thanks for all your help, Sans!" Frisk wanted to see Sans, but he disappears behind his closed door. Frisk is overcome with gratitude, now he that knows Sans never lied to him about Papyrus and for his advice on magic. It proved to be truly invaluable in defeating Papyrus, so he wouldn't have to resort to fighting. He still had questions over Amy, but she is a different bone to pick for another time.

"I cannot even capture a dog. I would have been a terrible royal guard…" Papyrus whispers, his skull hanging under the weight of a heavy frown. Frisk notices it is not a good look for his skull; he raises his arm to support Papyrus' side.

"Hey, I couldn't capture him, either. We can both be terrible guards together, Papyrus." Frisk's words restore his smile. "I'm sure your special attack would have taken me down."

"Oh would you like to see it now?! I promise not to use it, just show you a teeny tiny piece of it! I worked truly hard on it and it infuriated me so much to know that dog snatched it away from me, before I could do anything with it!" Papyrus declares and Frisk can tell this is important to him, with a nervous nod of his head; Frisk invites Papyrus to reveal his special attack.

To his confusion, a bone materializes within his Papyrus' arms. Upon initial inspection, there does not seem to be anything unusual about the bone. Until it glistens with an orange color, coating the bone like one of the cyan bones Papyrus used against him in their fight.

"This it is! It took me quite a lot of time! But I can finally use Orange Magic! I had a splendid plan for it and I know you would have been impressed human! But that nefarious canine had other plans." Papyrus drops the heavy bone into Frisk's grasps; it manages to be as blunt as steel and as sharp as a sword. A handful of blows from this and Frisk would have been defeated for sure, and this is only a single bone of his vaulted special attack, he shudders to imagine what the complete special attack would have been.

"Wow, Orange Magic! Is that how I was flying?!"

"No, that was my Blue Magic. Rest assured as long as you remain within the hands of the Great Papyrus, he will never let you down! Nyeh! Heh! Heh!" Papyrus laughs as he sends the orange bone out of Frisk's grasps and back into oblivion.

"I just wish I can fly again? How did I do that anyway?"

"I infused my magic into your soul human, and once you took control of my magic away from me, you were free to fly as you wish."

"Can you do it again?!" Frisk exclaims as he rapidly rubs his hands together.

"Sadly no, my human friend. My Magic is still in recovery and I will be like this for awhile now, I do not wish to take a risk with you my new friend." He says to Frisk's disappointment. "Surely you can do it friend."

"Wish I could, but humans can't use magic."

"Nonsense, father told me everyone can use magic. All you need is a soul for magic to come and live inside like a house. If Monsters can use magic, there is no reason you humans cannot use magic." Papyrus summons his soul, its color alternates between dark grey to bright grey as it recharges and replenishes magic. "Give it a try; I know you can do it!"

Frisk tries to mimic Papyrus' actions, but like a medieval stone mason suddenly being asked to become an electrician, he has no idea what to do. He concentrates on his soul and struggles to do anything until his face cringes to no avail. He believes in Magic, He accepts Magic, and he wishes to use Magic more than anything else; but Magic does not seem to return the favor. Frisk's face sinks with defeat, as Magic remains as out of his grasps as his Mother is on the other side of the Barrier.

"I'm doing everything I can, but it just doesn't work for me, Papyrus. I told you we can't use magic."

"I wish I could tell you why friend. We monsters have never had any problems in using Magic. Perhaps there is something in humans that is blocking your magic." The possibly does bring a raised eyebrow to Frisk, however he is not sure as to what this thing can be. However, his mind does not dwell on such a seemingly futile pursuit. Surely some human would have figured it out by now, and yet none on the Surface have in centuries and cultures beyond count.

"Well until than Paps, I'd love to fly with you anytime. It'd be nice if you can raise my spirits," Frisk's eyes come across his wide and enormous grin and he takes off for the sky within his mind. "But I think your smile is good enough for me now."

"Thank you, friend. Since we will have dinner later, let us go up to my room and do… whatever it is that people do when they hang out."

"If it helps, I've only done this once. So, I got no idea what to do, either." Frisk follows Papyrus up the staircase and to a door decorated with many signs, tapes, and stickers. Yet the two other doors attract his attention.

"This is my room. That one over there belongs to Sans, but good luck getting inside. He never lets anyone in except for me… and just for cleaning!" Papyrus shouts with his hand cupping over his mouth.

"I heard that," Sans says in a muffled voice from his room.

"You were supposed to! Honestly, I love Sans to bits, friend, I just wish he was not so lazy. He was not always like this, and I do not know what happened to him that made him like this."

"I wish I knew. What's that third door for?"

"Oh, that room belonged to our late father." His words make Frisk regret asking.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked that."

"Ah, do not concern yourself, friend. It has been a long while since father left us and you had no way to know. I take no offense." Frisk is overcome with relief. While he prefers mothers to fathers, he is aware that his sentiments are not universal.

"Well, let us commence hanging out!" Papyrus and Frisk enter his room. A brief glance is all he needs to know it belongs to Papyrus. A racing car for a bed, a large bookcase with covers of every color, a table with action figures, and a pirate flag on the wall. Frisk crosses his arms, impressed with such a room that would be the envy of any child, surface or underground. The one strange thing is a box of bones in the corner.

"Ah! Those are leftover attacks that I used on you. Great memories, huh? It feels like it happened just a half hour ago." The words leave Frisk in a rut. While the fight was far more enjoyable then he expected, the bones attacks are still a threat to his well-being.

"Yeah, that was great. I would do anything to do it all over again." Frisk slides away from the box and conversation.

"Really, Human!? Why, we can have a rematch again right now if you-!"

"Hey can you tell me about these…books?" Frisk marches to the case to end the conversation.

"Ah yes this is my own private collection, I found them at the library and dumping ground. That is one of my favorites. Advanced puzzle construction for critical minds. I have uncovered many helpful ideas from that book. And here is my other favorite." He hands Frisk a copy of Peek-a-Boo with Fluffy Bunny. "The ending always gets me."

The books leave Frisk in a daze as he examines the collection. While there are a few exceptions, it's mostly a collection of children's books and bedtime stories, that even Frisk thought himself too old to read. While odd, it explains far more about Papyrus than he could have believed.

"Isn't that flag neato?! Undyne found it at the bay…I think it's from your human world."

"It's a pirate flag. They belong to sea bandits that buried treasure on islands, went on adventures on the twelve seas, and fought with swords and talking parrots! They were always fun whenever I saw them on TV!" Frisk says to their shared excitement.

"Amazing! I would love to meet these pirates myself. I always wondered why a human flag would have a skeleton have it. Well, I had a theory…" Frisk faces Papyrus to learn what his ingenious mind has concluded. "I believe humans descended from skeletons! Nyeh heh heh! Am I not clever?"

Frisk does not want to be rude, so he grits his teeth and closes his eye to hide himself. "Well, humans turn into skeletons, so you're kind of right, I guess." Frisk speaks in a nervous voice, still not comfortable with his mortality and all that entails.

"Truly?! When can we meet together as Skeletons, human?" Papyrus asks with a smile and fists on his bashful cheeks.

"Hopefully not for a very, very long time. Sorry Papyrus, but we humans are really attached to our soft and meaty pieces." Frisk grabs his cheeks and belly to lighten the conversation as much as possible.

"I see; that is quite unfortunate. We skeletons take great pride in our strong bones. I can show them to you if you like." Papyrus grabs his battle armor and tries to remove it.

"No-thank-you-that's-perfectly-fine!" Frisk waves his arms side to side to make his point clear.

 _I really don't need to see you naked, and… Wait a second… besides a blue jacket and shorts, Sans has basically been naked this whole time. In fact, most of the monsters I've met are technically naked... AAGGHH!_ Frisk pours mind bleach onto his brain to purge away the thoughts from his memory and digs his fists into his eyes to erase the mental imagery.

"I can see you are quite good at playing with yourself, human. But I prefer to play with my action figures." Frisk rushes to the table to rejoin Papyrus, desperate for anything that can consume his thoughts and change his mood for the better.

"Yes, tell me anything about them! What are their names? How do you play with them?" Frisk asks in desperation.

"Ah, Yes. My action figures, I use them for my plans. They are a great reference for theoretical battle and puzzle scenarios. It's how I was able to create many of the puzzles I used against you." Papyrus points at various small sets and models arranged in the invisible electricity maze, the gauntlet of deadly terror, and even Sans' word search puzzle. Seeing his past laid out in front of him and the many possibilities at hand sparks an idea within his mind.

"Maybe we can have that rematch?" Frisk says.

"How so, human?" Frisk takes Papyrus' hand and places a handmade action figure of himself in it.

"I'll show you."

Frisk takes command of his table and rearranges it to suit his purposes. Papyrus does complain, but with Frisk's assurances and promises for fun, he allows him to enact his plan. Frisk empties the table and divides the figures and sets into 2 collections. Players and Puzzles Sets. The former consist of action figures and the latter of many construction sets, pieces, and models of miniature puzzles. Thankfully there is a checkerboard tablecloth to use for the stage. He gives himself and Papyrus 3 players and places them on opposite sides of the table.

"Why are you doing human?"

"This is our rematch. We each get three players. We have to get them to the other side one square a turn. On your turn you can move one player, or you can setup a puzzle or trap. You can make any kind of puzzle or challenge you want and the other player can solve it if they want to reach the other side faster. If they win, they can skip 3 squares, but if the player loses, you have to go back to the start. You can ignore the puzzle if you want, but then you'll be stuck at one square per turn and you can't ignore the last puzzle. First person to get all their players to the other side wins!" Frisk claps his hands together in makeshift applause.

"A game of wits and puzzles; this is an ingenious idea, friend. Now I can avenge myself and gain victory! Prepare yourself, for I shall show no mercy." Papyrus gazes at the game with intense interest and desire for fun. Frisk could not have been any more pleased at how happy Papyrus is as the game begins.

Frisk spends his initial turns moving his players ahead the board towards the exit, more content with issuing challenges than creating puzzles. To no surprise, Papyrus immediately sets about constructing puzzles with his construction blocks and plastic model sets, leaving his players unmoved until Frisk makes too much progress. Papyrus certainly is creative, filling the board with puzzles for Frisk to solve: a pitfall trap with no ladders that needs to be climbed, an obstacle course with only one solution, and a complex Rube-Goldberg machine that could drop a suspended cage on top of him.

Frisk knows he could not match Papyrus in puzzles. His own puzzles are not anything more complex than what one could find in the newspaper games section. Small drawn mazes, word games, and number riddles. When he tries to construct a more elaborate physical puzzle, he gives up since he does not know how to make it work. All in all, Frisk makes progress while Papyrus makes puzzles and it does not take long until they reach a standoff.

"Well, friend, do you believe you have what it takes to defeat the Great Papyrus!?"

"Nope. But I'm willing to find out."

While Frisk gave himself the opportunity to ignore the puzzles at the cost of 1 square per turn, he knows his puzzles will pose no threat to Papyrus. He needs to reach the other side, and not wanting Papyrus' hard work to go to waste, he falls into the pitfall trap. He hopes it will be easy to solve, and to his surprise, it is. There may be no ladder to climb, but Frisk does not need one; the sides of wall are the ladder.

"My goodness, human, you did it. You slippery devil! I will have to try much harder next time." Knowing he is far behind; Papyrus takes it upon himself to solve one of Frisk's puzzles and Frisk hides behind his palms to shield his shame.

"Human; this puzzle is unsolvable! I cannot believe it, but you've defeated me." Papyrus slaps his face and retreats his piece back to the startling line. Frisk could not believe it and examined the puzzle that defeated Papyrus. It's a simple word puzzle; one so easy Frisk believed anyone could have solved it.

"Well, you better catch up soon, Paps, otherwise I'll win," Frisk says.

"That will not happen, friend. My reputation as a puzzle master is at great risk, I will not lose!" Papyrus declares.

The game continues in the same pattern: while Papyrus' puzzles are elaborate and complex, they come with simple solutions. This allows Frisk to make rapid progress to the other side with all of his players. The same could not be said for Papyrus, who endlessly struggles with each of Frisk's newspaper puzzles.

For every puzzle he solves with extraneous effort, he fails to solve another three, turning his progress stagnant. Frisk brings two of his players to the other side while Papyrus has yet to bring a single one to the midpoint.

With victory in reach, Frisk finds no happiness or satisfaction within himself.

"No, this cannot be! I am the Great Papyrus! I cannot be losing! All that time and practice, it cannot have been for nothing!" Papyrus pleads beneath his hands and table, as defeat does not turn him into a sorry sporting soul but a pile of pity.

Frisk approaches the final puzzle of the game with his final player, one which would take him to the end and victory. As usual, the puzzle is needlessly convoluted and detailed with a simple solution. All Frisk has to do is avoid the wrong step, and the Rube Goldberg machine will not drop the cage on him.

Frisk makes his move.

"Oh no, Papyrus! Look at that." Papyrus raises his head to see Frisk's player trapped beneath the cage. "You finally captured me," Frisk says with his hands back as Papyrus explodes into glee as he slides his hands together.

"Yes! Luck has turned to my favor at long last!" Papyrus shouts with his fist into the air.

"It sure has." Frisk says with a smile and thumbs up. True to his words, the fortune of the game reverses completely.

With one player remaining, every puzzle Frisk encounters defeats him, keeping him trapped at the startling line. Frisk abandons his newspaper puzzles to make physical puzzles of staggeringly poor quality. This change in strategy allows Papyrus to make tremendous progress as he solves them with overwhelming ease, bringing two of his players to the opposite end. The game reaches a position where both Frisk and Papyrus are one puzzle away from victory.

"I can barely contain myself, friend. The sweetness of victory is so near, and yet the bitterness of defeat is just as near." Papyrus chews on what would have been nails on his fingers if he had flesh. They could not ignore the final puzzle, and Frisk's final puzzle is a piece of paper, a leftover from his newspaper puzzles.

"Well, it's your turn. Just remember it doesn't matter who wins, just as long as you have fun," Frisk says in a calm voice with his arms casually crossed.

"No, I must win! I cannot lose, victory must be mine!" Papyrus declares and stomps the ground with his foot, he picks the paper to solve the final puzzle. He holds the paper with a death grip, but he could not remain still. He unfolds the paper with closed eyes to delay the inevitable, until at long last the final puzzle is revealed.

"Where do monsters live? Oh, I know this answer!" Papyrus says at the top of his lungs and with boundless satisfaction. Frisk sighs with a smile as the game reaches its end.

"Well, Papyrus, it's been a good game, and-"

"The answer is a secret underground laboratory!" Papyrus shouts as he pushes his final player to the finish line and Frisk remains motionless and silent for a few moments. He shifts his gaze between the finish line and Papyrus.

"…Yeah, that's the right answer! Like I was saying, you won! That was a great game! You won the rematch and the fight!" Frisk raises his hand to give him a high five. Instead, Papyrus grabs onto both Frisk's hands and swings him around in a makeshift merry go round. The thrill of the momentum and suspension brings them to a shared higher level of excitement. When it stops Frisk stumbles across the ground until he falls onto the bed.

"Indeed it was, friend, but like I told you from the start, no one can match the Great Papyrus when it comes to puzzles!" Papyrus strikes a heroic pose with a large smile and hands on his hips as his scarf flows like a cape.

"That's definitely true." Frisk says in a daze, yet he could not have been anymore pleased with the outcome. "Just give me a few seconds, everything's spinning so fast."

"Ah, so you like my bed, friend. Me and Sans made it together. I saw in your human books how you have these things called cars that make you go super-fast! If I ever get to the surface… I'd like to drive down a long highway in a car. Wind in my hair… sun on my skin… Of course, that just a dream. So instead I cruise while I snooze."

"Well, it sounds like a good dream to me, Papyrus."

"Perhaps when you meet Mr. Dreemurr, you and he can find some way to break the barrier and free monsters with soul power." His words drain Frisk's enthusiasm and energy. While he no longer feared monsters, a hesitation prevents him committing to that idea on any level.

"Ahh, sure… I don't know what I can do, and who knows; it might not work," Frisk says in a nervous voice with his arm scratching his back.

 _Yeah, an army of monsters and magic on the surface and every human fighting back against them, that sounds like a great idea. And setting Flowey loose, that's the bestest idea I've ever heard of._ Frisk keeps his thoughts to himself, but they come with a flavor of guilt.

"But when I get to the surface, there's someone who can help us. She's the greatest person I know, and she would love to help monsters."

"She sounds amazing, friend! I cannot wait to meet her."

"Me too," Frisk says with a wide smile as they enter a period of inactivity, one which Papyrus refuses to tolerate.

"Well, here we are, hanging out together. Just us friends. But do not worry; you can't spell 'prepared' without several letters from my name! I snagged an official guidebook on hanging out from the Library! Now we are guaranteed to have a good time!" Papyrus reveals and opens a book.

"Step one: Ask your friend to go on a date with you. Strange, the book uses a different word. Very well then. Friend, I, the great Papyrus, want to go out on a date with you," Papyrus says.

"Aren't we doing that already?" Frisk asks, and to his confusion, he could hear someone laughing at him inside his head.

"Really?! Wowie! I guess that means it's time for Part Two!" Papyrus flips the pages to the next section. "Step Two: Put on special clothes to show how much you care!" Papyrus gazes intensely at him with a look of realization that leaves Frisk uneasy.

"Wait a second… wear clothing… That bandage hanging off of you. You're wearing clothing right now, human!" Frisk looks down to his body and pulls on his sweater and kicks his legs beneath his pants.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Frisk says.

"Not only that, but earlier today, you were also wearing clothing! According to this book, people only do that for those they truly care about! No… Could it be…You've wanted to date me from the very beginning?!" Papyrus covers his mouth with astonishment and disbelief.

"Well, I wouldn't say that; I just always wear clothes, and-" Frisk does not have a chance at finishing his sentence as Papyrus falls into a stream of consciousness.

"No! It cannot be! You planned it all! You're way better at dating than I am! Noooo… your dating power exceeds my own!" Papyrus' dampened mood lasts only a second. "Nyeh heh heh! Don't think you've bested me yet!" Papyrus returns to a pose that radiates composure and confidence.

"I, the great Papyrus, have never been bested at dating, and I never will be! I can easily keep up with you! You see, I, too can wear clothing! In fact, I always wear my special clothes underneath my regular clothes! Just in case someone happens to ask me out on a date!"

"What is happening now?" Frisk asks as confusion takes hold of him.

"Remain here until I return, and get ready for the best date of your life!" Papyrus runs to his closet. "There are no skeletons in my closet! Except me sometimes… Now wait for me there." Papyrus closes the door and disappears; amidst his momentum the book fell down to the ground. Frisk inspects the book more closely.

"How to Hang Out with that Special Somebody: 10 Steps to Making the Perfect Date!" Frisk sighs, wondering if he should explain the difference between dating and hanging out. He does not want Papyrus to get the wrong impression, but didn't want to ruin his mood or time, either.

"Wow. Never thought my first date would be with a skeleton monster." Frisk had never put much thought into the idea of dating, aside from that he found it too gross and awkward; a sign of how young he is. For Papyrus' sake, though, he will play along.

That is, until a folded piece of paper fell out of the book and to the ground. Unable to fight his curiosity, he picks up the paper. Unfolding it, he sees a key and a message to read: It's time you learn everything, kid. - Sans

The note takes Frisk by complete surprise, so much so that Papyrus' request to stay put vanishes from his memory. To meet Sans and to learn what he has to impart... it's an offer he could not ignore.

"Hopefully, this won't take very long. Sorry, Papyrus." Frisk leaves the room and walks down the hallway; he takes a brief glance at their father's door.

"Umm… WD Gaster. What a weird name. Well, sorry we can't meet, Mr. Gaster." He arrives outside of Sans' door. He knocks, but there is no response. The door is locked, but Frisk recalls the key.

"Okay, Sans, I'm coming in." The key unlocks the door and he enters the room. It is bathed in an dense darkness unlike any other in the underground. Even the caves were not this dark. Sans still does not reply to him, and there is no sound besides a strange mechanical hum in the air.

"Sans! Are you there? I got your note." Frisk enters and the door slams behind him to his dizzy surprise. The daze from Papyrus' spin has not worn off, and the complete darkness keeps Frisk on his toes. When Frisk searches, he could not find the door, like it was never there.

"Okay, Sans, this is not funny. Come out and talk to me." There is no response and Frisk is left alone, regretting answering the note to start with. He knows Sans loves to play pranks on him and others, but he did not expect Sans to pull something like this after their previous encounters.

 _This can't be happening. Sans helped me. He wouldn't trap me like this. That's not like him… or maybe I was wrong!_ Frisk panics at the notion and runs deeper into the room until he comes to a sudden standstill. The mechanical hum transforms into a whirring and thundering that takes Frisk by surprise. He tries to run, but no matter how hard or fast he runs he is unable to escape. His panic grows into full-fledged anxiety as he gasps for breath and searches for anyway to escape this death trap or to find an answer to Sans' sudden betrayal.

 _This can't be happening! This can't be happening! This can't be…_ That is when all the lights turn on and Frisk finds himself on a treadmill. Sans plays his trombone on his bed in the corner and Papyrus opens the door.

"Got ya, kid," Sans says with a wink in his eye.

"Sans, are you pranking the human across time and space?!"

"Hey, what can I say; you guys make it too easy," Sans says with a shrug as he sinks into his bed.

"Sans, this isn't funny," Frisk says as he runs across the treadmill to reach the off button and bring this joke to an end. Sadly Sans' arsenal of jokes and puns seems to be endless.

"I don't know, kid. Since you're on the 'run' from the royal guard, I figured you could use a good laugh. You might be 'running' out of time for all you know. Just don't 'run' too hard, or I'll have to pull your leg to get you out." For once, Frisk could not agree more with Papyrus as he turns off the treadmill.

"Sans, this is not the time for your infernal puns! This is our hangout date, not yours! Wait for your date." Frisk leaves to rejoin Papyrus.

"Wait, you guys are on a date?" Sans asks, barely containing his chuckle.

"Indeed we are!" Papyrus declares.

"We're just hanging-" Frisk chokes on his correction, his cheeks red. "...out on our date." The laughter continues both from Sans and from a piece of himself inside.

"Wow Paps, a real date. You sure can pick them. This kid is really one in a melon, you must like him berry much. Just don't break my bro's heart kid." Sans points inside his empty rib cage, before waving his hand at them and Papyrus closes the door to take Frisk back to his room.

"Pay him no attention, friend. Sans is too lazy to understand the fine art of hanging out and going on dates. In the meanwhile, behold!" Papyrus shouts at him and displays his new attire that Frisk hadn't noticed at first. It consists of a casual white shirt with COOL DUDE written on it, blue shorts, big orange shoes and shoulder caps, and a baseball cap. It's so different from his battle armor that it takes him a few moments to get used to it.

"Nyeh! What do you think of my secret style!?" Papyrus asks, leaving Frisk little time to process the garish and haphazard, out-of-nowhere outfit. It fits him so well; if Papyrus designed an outfit, Frisk does not doubt this would be it. Besides Papyrus, no other person would be caught dead in such an outlandish outfit. He does not know what to say.

"It's unlike anything else I've ever seen," Frisk says.

"No! A Genuine compliment…! I was not prepared for this," Papyrus says in absolute shock as he shakes in his shoes and cowers from Frisk for a few moments. Frisk didn't know why Papyrus is acting like this. Papyrus regains his composure and returns to Frisk.

"However, you don't truly understand the hidden power of this outfit! This date won't escalate any further unless you find my secret! But that won't happen! For I, the great Papyrus, have outwitted you!" Papyrus declares and crosses his arms while oozing confidence at this secret. As with his puzzles, a great deal of effort goes into something with an obvious answer.

 _It's the hat, where else could it be? Well, it can't be any worse than Sans' surprise._ Frisk thought points to the hat.

"My hat…? My hat. Nyeh heh heh! W-Well then, you found my secret! I suppose I have no choice!" Papyrus removes his hat to reveal the secret beneath on his skull. "It's a present…A present just for you! Do you know what this is!?"

Now it is Frisk's turn to cower in fear and dread as he knows exactly what the present is. He hides his reaction as much as he can for Papyrus sake, but he could already hear his stomach screaming at him to decline. But after everything he did to Papyrus and assumed of his character, Frisk could not have conceived a better punishment and apology.

"Spaghetti," Frisk answers as Papyrus removes the plate of hot spaghetti from his skull.

"Spaghetti. That's right, but oh-so wrong! This ain't plain ol' Pasta! This is an artisan's work! Silken Spaghetti finely aged in an oaken cask…" Papyrus hands the dish to Frisk.

_Well, that doesn't sound too bad._

"Then cooked by me, Master chef Papyrus!" He shouts with a proud smile and endless satisfaction carved into his skull.

 _Never mind_ , Frisk holds the dish like it's a bomb that will destroy the whole Underground if he drops it. Like before, the dish resembles a normal plate of spaghetti and the smell is delicious with the mixture of sauce and meat. Frisk knows better, yet that does not stop him from using the fork to bring a spoonful of food into his mouth.

"So delicious. Best spaghetti. Ever," Frisk struggles to say as his face squirms and squelches like a lemon. The flavor did improve slightly with the better ingredients, but it does not prevent the food from tasting like it had expired weeks ago. The sauce is vile and gets everywhere, the meat is near rotten, and the pasta itself tastes like overcooked clay. Yet it does not stop Frisk from taking the second bite, the third, and the fourth.

"What a passionate expression! You must really love my cooking!"

"Oh yeah! Best food ever. I love it so much. Couldn't have done it any better myself." Frisk says to the best of his ability, knowing he could prepare a better dish of pasta in his sleep with feet for hands. In the end, the dish brings Frisk to his knees as he collapses onto the bed in a food coma, delirious and crumbled into pieces. As usual, Papyrus greatest and most undefeatable puzzle will be his cooking.

"The spaghetti overwhelmed you. It means that much to you. But according to the book, that means…" Papyrus goes silent as Frisk did not respond. "That means you love by extension, me! Maybe even more than I do!" Papyrus could not have been more shocked in his life.

"Friend. It's clear now. You're madly in love with me. Everything you do, everything you say, it's all been for my sake," Papyrus continues to speak as Frisk twitches on the bed.

"I can tell you are speechless, Friend. I want you to be happy, too. It's time for me to express my feelings. It's time I told you my feelings. I, Papyrus…I, um… boy… is it hot in here, or is just me?" Papyrus pulls on the edge of his shirt and plays with the tassels of his shorts.

Frisk drools onto the bed.

"Human… I'm sorry. I don't like you the way you like me. Romantically, I mean. I did not expect that on this date, feelings would blossom forth within you!" Frisk's stomach lets out a monstrous gurgle.

"You see what I mean. I will not be able to match your passions for me. But alas, I, the great Papyrus, feel the same as before. And instead, I have made the mistake of drawing you deeper into your intense love for me." Frisk whines from his mouth.

"Please do not make any harder human. This is my fault after all. To leave you in a dark prison of passion, with no escape. How could I have done this to my best friend…?" Papyrus says with a somber heart that he clenches over his chest. "Can we continue after this? No… wait. That's wrong. I can't fail at anything! Human! I'll help you through these trying times! I'll keep being your cool friend… and act like all this never happened," Papyrus says with newfound confidence as he returns to his heroic pose while Frisk remains prone on the bed.

"After all, you are very great. It would be tragic to lose your friendship. So please, don't cry because I won't kiss you. Because, I don't even have lips," Papyrus says reassuringly as he grabs Frisk's shoulder in a friendly manner.

"I can tell you are greatly heartbroken, human. I will leave you here to recover. But do worry; someday, you'll find someone as great as me." Frisk begins to stir as he recovers with a quiet groan.

"Well, no, that's not possible. But I'll help you settle for second best! Nyeh heh heh heh!" Papyrus says with a smile as he departs from the room with his battle armor, but not before a final sentence as Frisk regains consciousness.

"Ugh… What the heck happened?" Frisk asks.

"I love you, platonically speaking." Papyrus closes the door, leaving Frisk shocked to near oblivion at this confession of love.

"Wait what?! Why would he say that? Pa-Papy-Papyrus loves me?" The confession of love Frisk at an impasse as he rolls of the bed and his foot lands in the plate of pasta. It sends chills up his spine as Papyrus' words ring in between his ears. "What have I gotten myself into," Frisk groans as he scrapes the 'food' off his foot, pleased at having an excuse to not finish it.

 _Well, Papyrus certainly is different… and really weird…_ Frisk thought, and yet as time passes, he could not prevent a smile from overtaking his face. _But I'm glad I got to know and meet the real Papyrus._

Frisk turns and comes face-to-face with a picture of young Sans and Papyrus in winter gear as they stand in front of the house. They are both smiling and happy as they look and wave at someone in front of them, likely the photographer.

The picture fills Frisk with happiness. "And you know what, I wouldn't change a thing."

Frisk remains in the room for some time to recover from his dinner, the battle, and from the odd love confession that Frisk does his best to blot out of his memory. But like with Maribel and Francis, he knows he cannot stay forever. He opens the door and goes downstairs, where Papyrus is ready to greet him.

"Friend! It is wonderful that you have recovered so quickly. I sincerely hope the same can be done for your precious broken heart," Papyrus says.

"Yeah, don't worry, I'll be fine; you don't have to worry about me," Frisk says to end the conversation before they can revisit whatever caused that awkward love confession. "Well, I've had a good time, but I really do have to be going, Papyrus. I hope you had a good time, too."

"Indeed I did. Puzzles, spaghetti for dinner, and confessions of love… I could not have asked for a better time with you, my friend." Papyrus says with a triumphant voice and spirit, and by now, any fear Frisk carried for Papyrus is long dead.

"Thank you so much for being my friend, hu- goodness gracious; if we are going to be friends, I must know your name."

"My name? Oh, my name is… Frisk," Frisk replies, having grown used to being called Human by the monsters. "But you know, if you want to keep calling me human, I don't mind. It's a lot better than Frisk."

"We must disagree, Frisk; I find it a very pleasant name."

 _Well at least one of us agrees,_ Frisk thought and rolls his eyes.

"Well, Frisk, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am the great- Ahh… You can just call me Papyrus." Papyrus extends a hand to him and Frisk does not hesitate in grabbing it.

"And I am Frisk the human and I'm glad to be your friend, too. I just wish I could do more for you." They shake together, leaving Frisk overjoyed and piece of him in complete disbelief at how this turn of events could have happened.

"Well, if you truly insist. Could I have those garments… the ones you were wearing when we fought each other? I would greatly appreciate them." The request seems odd to Frisk as he pulls the manly bandana and tough glove from his back bag.

"These?" Frisk holds them in his hands.

"Indeed. Please, Frisk. I swear to you that I will protect them like the finest treasures in the whole of the underground. They will never know harm, they will never decay, they shall remain and endure for all-!"

"You don't have to convince me, Papyrus. You can have them. Consider them my present." Frisk gives the possessions to Papyrus and he cradles them like a newborn child. Rubbing them against his skull, banishing any doubt in Frisk's mind that they would be abused.

"Thank you, Frisk. As I promised, I will help you as long as you remain in the Underground, even if you cannot see me. As someone once told me, best friends are never gone. Even if I'm not there, we'll always be together. Right here." Papyrus places a hand over his armored chest and the other over Frisk's heart. A connection Frisk completes as he places one of his hands over his chest and other over Papyrus' rib cage. Meanwhile they tie in a sudden contest of smiles.

"I will definitely keep that in mind, Papyrus," Frisk says as the two of them make for the exit. But while Frisk now possesses roots in Snowdin, he is firmly ready to move on to the rest of the Underground. While he remains afraid of what is to come, he is ready to face it, content that he is no longer alone.

"Goodbye, Frisk. I, your best friend, wish you the best of luck on your journey!" Papyrus waves his arm until Frisk disappears into the distant. Papyrus grabs his hips as he strikes a heroic pose, happier than he has been in a long time.

"My how impressive, they managed to get past you. The nicest and softest monster in the whole Underground. What an amazing accomplishment!" The strange girl in the red and orange striped sweater speaks as she stands behind Papyrus. She strokes her golden brown chin with inquisitive hazel eyes full of inquiring intent.

"Well, progress is progress; no reason to complain I suppose. And how curious, no one has fallen thus far. Even Flowey is playing things safe this time. Well, if that's the game they wish to play, so be it. But if they believe Snowdin was difficult, they aren't aware of the real challenge which lies ahead of them. They're not going to like the Truth they'll find in Waterfall." She stares at Papyrus, who continues to stand as nothing occurs around him.

"The monster that created the Flowey Fan Club was always going to be a pushover. I wonder how the Heroine who never gives up will perform. If luck is on my side, one of them will fall and the other will stand. Who knows? Perhaps they will finally begin getting along, that will certainly make for an fascinating change in our little game." She continues staring at Papyrus, gazing upon his enormous grin and radiant joyful spirit.

To her sudden surprise, the human girl finds her hand wrapped around the blue hair ribbon in her messy ponytail, her hazel eyes heavy and shaking as a smile threatens to spread across her face.

"Stop that!" She drags her hand back to her side and smacks it. "You know better than to hope. This is beyond a long shot and you know it."

"Even if they manage to get past Waterfall, there's still a long way to go. There is plenty that can go wrong if they're not careful or stray from their path. But no matter what happens, I'll be there to witness it." She marches forward to follow Frisk, leaving Papyrus behind her, who had long walked away himself without uttering a word.


	20. Chapter 20:  It's Warmer Somewhere Else...

Being Human - Act I - Chapter 20

* * *

Frisk returns to the site where he fought Papyrus, but this time there is no one to stand in his way and he is free to continue. He takes a moment and heavy breath to bask in his progress, and the reward is great.

The air is cool but grows warmer the further he moves, the snow melts into slush around his feet. Water rushes all around him in small flowing rivers, racing into the next region. He recalls the time he was flying and saw vast swabs of wetlands across the horizon. The presence of so much water makes Frisk gulp nervously.

"Well, as long as I stay on solid ground, I should be fine. No going back now." The ground turns hard and dirty with mud. The air bathes him with humidity, and to his everlasting relief, the cold is gone. His arms swing freely into the air as he skips with joy, knowing they will be free for the rest of his journey. Frisk arrives at a barren, rocky riverfront area; the area is quiet and desolate for the most part.

There are a few monsters around, fishing or traveling about, and again they remain oblivious to his humanity. It baffles him, but he does not complain; this ignorance is his greatest shield. A strange blue flower on the ground catches his eye with its alien beauty and nature. However the fact that it is a flower causes Frisk to cringe and stay far away from it as he approaches a familiar looking skull.

Frisk reaches the sentry post and lays his arms on the table in a casual manner, making a smug, smiling face. "Hi, I'm a human, can you capture me? Or are you too busy right now? I can come back later, if you like."

Sans removes a magazine from his face and sits back straight in his chair, having been leaning back with his boney legs hanging through the sentry window. "Haha. Nice to see that you made it to Waterfall, kid."

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Frisk asks, expecting Sans to stay with Papyrus in Snowdin.

"What? Haven't you ever seen a guy with two jobs before?" Sans leans forward and props up his skull with an arm. Despite his legendary laziness, he glides with a smooth swiftness in his movements.

"So, you managed to get past my brother. Nice… Must have been really hard with his special attack and all."

"It was actually easier than I thought it would be. Honestly, looking back, I feel really silly about everything. And I couldn't have made it this far without you, Sans."

"Gee, thanks kid, means a lot. It's nice to know that you're on the right path," Sans says.

"Maybe I should take a few more pointers from you, Sans. At this rate, I'll be at the barrier and back on the surface in no time at all." Frisk declares in a voice full of casual confidence.

"You sound big, kid. That's nice, but I'd be a little careful. Get too big or move too fast, and you might lose track of your path. You don't want that to happen, do ya?" The question leaves Frisk puzzled.

"Oh, c'mon, Sans. I've made it this far. I got past the Ruins, Snowdin, and now I can almost taste the Surface on the tip of my tongue. I can't give up now."

"Didn't say you had to give up, kid. Just slow down a bit to smell the flowers. Take a break to catch yourself and relax. Fortunately, two jobs mean twice as many legally required lunch breaks. I'm going to Grillby's. Wanna come?" His offer leaves Frisk in a quandary, unsure of how to answer.

After getting this far, he feels his drive inside him. Like a new sports car revving up its engines, ready to race him straight to the Barrier and the determination to not stop no matter what gets in his way. Undyne and Asgore are threats, meanwhile that strange human girl and Flowey are still somewhere out there. But for once, none of them could distress him. He even manages to drown out the piece of him shouting at himself to leave Sans behind.

Yet he couldn't deny his desire to spend time with Sans. He was right about Papyrus, his advice about magic proved to be invaluable, and he was the first monster to truly be on his side and not capture him. Even Toriel wanted to contain him in the ruins for the rest of his life for his own good. This would be the perfect opportunity to repay Sans for all he has done.

"Yeah! I would love to."

"Well, if you insist… I guess I can pry myself away from my work. Thanks for treating me, kid." Sans steps away before Frisk could protest. "Over here. I know a shortcut we can use." Frisk follows him down a natural rocky corridor, Sans takes his hand and Frisk blinks.

"Fast shortcut, huh?" Sans says as they stand outside Grillby's bar and grill. Frisk's arms rush to his sides as the cold of Snowdin makes a chilling return. He looks around wildly, wondering how they managed to get here with no transit in between.

"Coming, kid?" Sans breaks Frisk out of his spell and opens the door to welcome him inside. Frisk dismisses the casual breakage of reality, momentum, and a few hundred other questions as magic; it would not be the strangest thing to happen to him since falling into the Underground. After collecting his senses and thoughts, he joins Sans inside Grillby's.

The bar & grill has an antiquated and homey appearance that gives it a welcoming charm, like a livable lumberjack's cabin. A coarse and aged wooden floor, booths with worn warm cushions, makeshift tables scattered around where many monsters partake in conversation and dining, and a solid oak counter with a fully stocked shelf of beverages Frisk would not be allowed to drink for 11 years. All the while, an old jukebox plays in the corner, filling the room with old jazz music.

There are many monsters in the establishment, enjoying themselves or merely passing the time as a monster made out of fire serves them various foods and drinks. Many seem to know Sans as they greet and welcome him, but Frisk dare not take another step as a group of monsters stand at attention for him, and him alone.

"Frisk it's you!" Dogaressa rises from a table where she was playing poker with Doggo, Rocky, and Ilsa; meanwhile, Dogamy sulks alone in a corner. Frisk does not know what will happen next; he hopes it will not turn violent, but by now he knows he does not always get what he wants. Especially in an underground where all Humans are guilty.

"Hi." Frisk awkwardly raises his hand to greet them in a voice as equally stilted. Ilsa and Rocky lead the pack as they charge at him with Dogaressa in their tracks. Frisk closes his eyes and shields his face with his arms to await the inevitable crash.

Rocky raises and takes him into a huge dog hug, showering his face with tongue licks while Ilsa stretches her neck to do the same. Their tongues are cold and wet as they assault his face, Frisk laughs as their tongues tickle him. There is no space for Dogaressa, but Frisk can hear her snickering as she stands behind this growing dog pile.

"Seems like you got some fans, kid. Never thought I'd see the day you went to the dogs. I'll be waiting till you're ready." Sans walks to the counter and takes a seat. Frisk is overwhelmed and surprised by all the attention he is receiving and by the fact it's happening at all.

"Not that I'm complaining, but did I miss something? Aren't you supposed to capture me?" Frisk manages to say in-between the dog pile as they release him into Dogaressa's paws.

"Capture you? Oh no sweetie, our duty is to capture humans. I don't smell any humans here, only a splendid little innocent playful child. We could never capture someone like you." Dogaressa pinches his cheeks, causing him to blush like a red apple.

"Really! You don't want to capture me?!" Frisk asks with a stupendous smiling grin and bigger eyes, burying himself into Rocky's mane and hugging him like an enormous plush bear.

"After we lost you, we searched desperately for you everywhere. We could not find you, but we did find the many monsters you spared and helped on your journey. No matter where we went, we found deeds of kindness and love worthy of any monster. When Papyrus told us that you defeated him without a fight, we decided to abandon our pursuit." She says and Frisk could almost cry, wanting to shrink and hide away from all this unfamiliar but welcoming attention.

"Speak for yourself. Once I find the human, I won't let him out of my sights." Doggo declares and gathers all the poker chips for himself. His words leave Frisk uneasy, especially when he spies a bone with red smears in Doggo's hand. It brings back bad memories of him locating their camp, but the more he sees, the more he learns. The bone is soft and chewy like candy, and there are several bottles of ketchup scattered across the table. Frisk could not have been more relieved.

"Well, good luck with that, Doggo. But when you find him, I can guarantee you won't get any pets or belly rubs," Dogaressa says behind her paw with a playful snicker.

"Pet! Where is it? Please I must have more!" Doggo frantically searches for the source of pet to Frisk's amusement.

"Wow, thank you so much. I really appreciate you doing this for me. I was really worried about what would happen when you caught up to me. I hope you won't get in trouble for helping me," Frisk says as Rocky sets him on the ground, but Ilsa follows Frisk thanks to her ever-growing neck.

"It is not a problem at all, Frisk, and we are overjoyed to return the favor. You will be happy to know that we have alerted the town to your presence, but do not be afraid they are all aware that you are a friend and not a fiend." Her words spook him. He scans around the bar to realize all the monsters do indeed recognize him as human. They smile at him, but there is also a nervous look in their eyes they could not completely conceal; not that he blames them.

"That's nice to hear… Why didn't they recognize me before?"

"Most monsters have not seen humans in all their lives, and aside from a few stray exceptions, the Underground has not seen any humans in so many years. Only members of the Royal Guard are trained to identify humans on appearances alone. Most monsters know humans based on their… actions." She hesitates as the other dogs whine. "If a human acts like a human, they will know to flee."

"You don't have to explain… I get it," Frisk speaks with a defeated voice and wounded spirit.

"But you have nothing to fear in Snowdin, and Undyne will never know from us that you're here. After all, we never found any human, Frisk." He appreciates their words, but he could not resist the urge to correct them.

"Listen, I know I don't act like a 'human' and I get you're trying to protect me. But I am human. I'm not a special human or some kind of monster human. I'm just a normal human being. And I hope one day, heck maybe today, you'll know not all humans are bad." Frisk says as the three dogs grow meager from his words.

"Very well, Frisk, we are honored to have known you and we share your desire for a brighter future with humans and monsters. We would take you to the King ourselves, but alas we cannot leave Snowdin. But no matter what happens you will have our support, human." She says, and Frisk can read from Ilsa and Rocky silly and sloppy faces they shared her sentiment.

"Thanks. Now who wants a pet?" They did not hesitate in lining up to receive the pets and Frisk is more than pleased to give them. Even Doggo could not resist as he joins them to partake in pets and belly rubs that bring them and Frisk great joy. The one member of the canine sentry force who does not partake is Dogamy, who remains in his corner.

"He has been very hard on himself since your departure. I do not know why; he refuses to tell me anything. But I know it involves you. Perhaps he will speak with you?" Dogaressa suggests while Ilsa and Rocky respond with whines and pouty faces as they stare at him. With a nervous gulp, Frisk approaches Dogamy as he sulks in his corner with a bowl of water. With a sniff of Dogamy's nose, Frisk knows he needed no introduction.

"Come to celebrate, Human?" Dogamy says asks in a sullen voice.

"Actually, I came here with Sans; but I wanted to see how you were doing." Frisk pets his back and there is no reaction.

"I am fine, Human. Go and have your fun with Sans. You don't have to worry about me." He keeps his back turned to him, leaving no ground for Frisk to circle around and see him.

"Dogaressa doesn't think so, and I can tell the others are worried, too."

"She worries too much and about too many things. The Barrier… Snowdin… You… Our Team… and the future. That must be my fault, too; I do not worry enough."

"Well… I mean- Maybe the two of you could… Umm… Listen, I'm a kid, so I don't know much about this grownup-dog stuff. But I can tell the two of you are sad. There has to be something I can do to fix it?"

"Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. Just leave me be." Frisk sits on the ground.

"Well, that's the one thing I can't do. Sorry, but I'm not going until you feel a little better." Frisk manages to get a reaction from Dogamy, hpwever it is one of annoyance that tells him he may use up all of Sans' break.

"Human… please. You do not have to do this. I do not deserve it." Frisk holds his ground.

"Well, I want to do it," Frisk says.

"Why? Just leave me alone, for your own good!" Dogamy speaks in a veiled whisper, not wanting to make a scene or alert his team.

"Because I want to help y-"

"I tried to capture you, human!" He barks at Frisk before breathing an exhaustive sigh and backing away.

"And I would have done it, too, if it wasn't for them. And what did you do when you knew that? You saved us. You saved me. Go on, be a hero. You don't need a villain in your story, and neither do they." His words leave a wound in him, one far larger than any axe could inflict. He ignores his wishes to rub his back, even beneath the black body suit there is the softness and warmth of his fur.

"You might have tried to capture me, but Papyrus and lots of other monsters have tried to hurt or capture me, too. Now we're all kind of friends, and it wasn't your fault either. I was a rogue human, and you can never be too careful around humans." Frisk remembers the death of Mary and the scars left behind on Francis and Maribel, a naiveté he could never return to; nor would he desire it.

"You were just doing your job, you didn't know me, and I can't blame you for that."

"You're just saying that to be nice."

"You're right, but I still mean it. Thanks to you and your team, I learned a lot about monsters. I might have hurt someone if you guys didn't show me monsters weren't all bad. And I'm glad I could show you that not all humans are bad." Frisk figures Dogamy did not need to know he already made a promise to not harm anyone. His words are not entirely false, as their encounter told him that even the most aggressive monsters opposing him could be kind.

"So you see, no one has to be a villain, and that includes you."

"Indeed, my beloved. Now please come and join us," Dogaressa says as she appears behind Frisk with Ilsa, Rocky, and Doggo at her side.

"Arf! Arf!" Ilsa says with his small paws at her sides but with a neck ready to wrap around them.

"Woof! Woof!" Rocky says with outstretched paws and arms.

"Come with us, and stand still where I can't you see you, boss," Doggo says with his open paws and ready for a hug. A few moments of silence pass until Dogamy smirks.

"I can't believe it. You did it again. You really are something special, Frisk." Dogamy turns around his chair to face them with a warm smile, and ironically, Frisk finds a dog petting his head.

"Sorry for my mood, I can hope that…" Dogamy did not have a chance to finish as the canine sentry force all join together in a hug. It brings a smile to Frisk and the other monsters in the establishment share a round of applause for them and Frisk. When they separate, they turn to face Frisk one last time.

"Thank you Frisk, for saving my team and family. If you ever wish to enter Snowdin, you need not be afraid of us. The monsters of Snowdin will know you are human and they welcome you with open arms," Dogamy says along with the monsters whom agree with their cheers and praise.

"Now let's start round 2, deal me in." Dogamy leaves to join the poker game.

"Goodbye, little human child. When we have our pups, you can play with them anytime you wish. I just hope they'll be as adorable as you!" Dogaressa grabs and pinches his cheeks.

"You're all dogs. Pretty sure I'm gonna lose that contest." Frisk says in a puffed voice as his cheeks are pinched and she leaves to rejoin the game.

"I know you're there, human," Doggo says as he approaches him. "But I'm on break right now, so I'll do you a favor and let you slide. But don't let me catch you again when my break is over." The words leave Frisk surprised.

"Now if you excuse me, I'm going to discuss my plans for early retirement. My eyes aren't good enough for this job. A nice long break is what I need." Doggo leaves with a smirk and wink as he rejoins the game.

"Arf! Arf!" Ilsa barks as she runs up to Frisk but remains at her normal height. Instead of another tongue barrage, she settles for shaking her paw in his hand followed by a hug. Her armor is cold and metallic, but the nestle of her furry warm neck and cold wet nose are enough for Frisk to ignore the former.

"Woof! Woof!" Rocky does not settle for small goodbyes, taking Frisk back into the air with his paws as he swings him around in a circle of "wheees" before setting Frisk on his head. Giving Frisk a bird's eye view of the whole establishment and pets the greater dog's head. After a few moments of affection and joy, he returns Frisk to the ground to rejoin his team and Frisk does the same with Sans.

"Nice of you to finally join me, kid. Figured you'd be having a dog of a time." Sans swivels around in his seat to face Frisk.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I didn't know they would be-."

"Ahh, don't worry about it, kid. Unfinished business should always be taken off. You don't want it to bite ya in the butt. Besides, it was real nice to see it. Makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside." Sans says and points to his empty rib cage and pats on the stool nearest to him. "Here, get comfy kid."

Frisk takes the invitation as he sits on the chair. A loud fart noise goes off underneath the seat to his embarrassment and a handful of monsters laugh. Even the Canine squad couldn't help themselves.

"Whoops, watch where you sit down. Sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions on the seats." Frisk retrieves the whoopee cushion and returns it to Sans.

"Ha ha. You can be so funny sometimes, Sans. But even I thought you were above fart jokes. I mean, I thought you were a magician, ready to cast smells," Frisk says with a smirk and wink of his own.

"Nice to know you can take a joke kid. Anyway, let's order. Whaddya want…?" Grillby hands Frisk a nonflammable menu. He certainly stands out compared to the monsters he's encountered so far, a monster with a head and hands of fire but a fine bartender's suit. The lighting of the establishment is minimal as Grillby himself is the greatest source of light in the place. Yet he does not burn or blind him despite their close proximity. Grillby is warm enough to banish the cold but cool enough to remain in his pleasant company.

"Here ya go boy. Let me know what I bring out for ya. Just be sure to keep ya age in mind when ordering." Grillby speaks as the menu gives Frisk a wide selection of items to consider. Aside from water, most of the drinks are restricted to 21 or older. But there is enough for him to pick an option with one of his fingers.

"Hey that sounds pretty good. Grillby, we'll have a double order of Fries."

"Coming right up." Grillby walks away to a backdoor and into the kitchen.

"Oh, speaking of unfinished business, I got something to show ya kid. I did some digging, and I managed to find this." Frisk is rendered silent as Sans pulls out a puzzle mechanism attached to a button. One covered in dying green vines. They send a piercing shock through Frisk's being, as he does not doubt where they came from.

"What is that?" Frisk asks.

"That is the ON switch for the gauntlet of doom. I take it a gardener has a bone to pick with ya, kid. Either that, or someone with a green thumb doesn't like ya very much." Frisk sighs, his head dropping to the ground with heavy shame.

"Sans, I'm real-"

"Ah, save it, kid. I'll let it slide on account on what almost happened back there. But don't push my buttons again. Otherwise I'll lose my jacket." Frisk smirks, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Frisk holds the puzzle piece in his hand; knowing Papyrus is innocent as Sans said is one thing, but to have physical proof in his hands is another.

"I know, but still. You were right; you were right about everything. I got so angry as the two of you, and you didn't deserve it." Frisk could not speak any further as he drowns in his guilt. It is not until Sans pats his back that Frisk returns to normal.

"Hey, kid, don't get blue on me now. It's all in the past anyway, especially now that you got past Paps and passed gas with me." Frisk smiles. That is what he likes the most about Sans. No matter what happens, Sans refuses to let him stay in a bad mood. He is always eager to please him and lift his spirits.

"So… what do you think of my brother, now that you know the truth?"

"Oh, we're friends, and I don't need this to say that. When I fought him, he made me fly in the air like a bird; hanging out with him was a blast, and he was always nice to me. What can I say? I know people think he's annoying, and yeah he does go a bit overboard, but he's the coolest guy I've ever met."

"Of course he's cool. You'd be cool too if you wore that outfit every day. He'd only take that thing off if he absolutely had to." Frisk is touched as he remembers the change in wardrobe in between their hangout date. "Oh well. At least he washes it… and by that, I mean he wears it in the shower."

_Oh Papyrus… Never change._ Frisk thought as the situation and mental imagery brings him laughter and joy.

Grillby returns with two dishes of fries. The fries might as well have been golden train tickets to the surface with the way Frisk stares at them. After Spider donuts, monster candy, and authentic bat monster cuisine; Frisk is overjoyed to have something normal. The fresh and salty smell graces his nose like an angelic touch, his mouth drools with savoring anticipation.

"Here comes the grub. Bone appetite." Sans hands Frisk some ketchup. Frisk lifts the ketchup bottle and turns to face Sans. Ever since he met Sans and Papyrus, there was a burning question he desperately desired the answer to: When skeletons eat something, where does it go? Amidst the attention he's giving to Sans, the cap falls off the bottle and baths his fries in a flood of red condiments.

"I think you can ketchup with me later, kid, unless you wanted soup." Frisk turns with a defeated expression as the ketchup drowns the fries, turning them into a wet and soggy ruined mess. He signs until Sans taps his shoulder.

"Eh, forgeddaboudit. You can have some of mine. I'm not hungry anyway." Sans slides his basket of fries over, to Frisk's enjoyment. The fries are the right amount of chewy and salty for flavor and the perfect balance between crispy and soft. His question's answer will have to wait for another day. With Frisk's mouth full, Sans takes advantage of the opportunity to speak.

"Anyway, cool or not, you have to agree Papyrus tries real hard. Like how he keeps trying to join the royal guard. One day, he went to the house of the head of the royal guard and begged her to let him in. Of course, she shut the door on him because it was midnight. But the next day, she woke up and saw him still waiting there. Seeing his dedication, she decided to give him warrior training." The story did not surprise Frisk at all; he didn't doubt that is something Papyrus would do.

"How is he doing on that? For a big softie, he sure is powerful." Frisk is still amazed as the sheer number of bones he was forced to avoid, and all the while Papyrus didn't leave his spot.

"It's, uh, still a work in progress. You were his best chance to become a member. But I think he'll be fine with you as long as you stay the way you are now. He's always wanted friends. Sometimes it gets him into trouble and his heart is real easy to break. You'll take good care of my bro, right, kid?"

"You don't have anything to worry about me, Sans. I just want to be friends with you, too." Frisk shovels another handful of fries into his mouth, knowing if Toriel was here she would tell him not to speak with his mouth full. For once he finds the will to defy her with endless fried satisfaction.

"Well, maybe we can come up with something for the three of us later. Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you something else. Have you ever heard of a talking flower?" The question turns Frisk into a frozen stature and the fries into ash and dust inside his mouth. He takes a deep gulp to think about talking flowers.

"Yes, I have," Frisk says with heavy reluctance, curious to learn where this is going.

"So, you know all about it. The echo flower." Frisk breathes a huge sigh of relief in his mouth. Despite his new found comfort with monsters, there is an exception to every rule and his will forever belong to Flowey.

"They're all over the marsh. Say something to them, and they'll repeat it over and over… And Papyrus told me something interesting the other day. Sometimes, when no one else is around, a flower appears and whispers things to him. Flattery… advice… encouragement… predictions. Weird, huh?"

_Flowey is going after Papyrus… oh no, that's bad. I have to warn… No. I don't want to worry Sans like that. Besides Papyrus is real powerful; Flowey wouldn't stand a chance against him. But I still have to do something to help._ Frisk thought.

"Well, Sans, if you ask me, I'd say you can't trust a flower. Whoever's using this flower, it can't be for anything good."

"Someone must be using an echo flower to play a trick on Papyrus. Keep an eye out, ok?"

"I promise I will. I won't let any flower hurt Papyrus. Not on my watch." Frisk says with an earnest and proud voice, his hand over his heart.

"Thanks a lot, kid. Speaking of which, what are ya going to do now? Have you changed your plans?" Sans asks.

"Nope. Not a thing is different. Thanks to Papyrus, I know what Asgore is planning. We think he can use my soul to send me across the barrier and back to the surface, because of how powerful it is. When that's done, I'll finish my search and everything will be fixed after that. Things will be great!" Frisk says with awe in his voice and stars in his eyes.

"That's quite the plan, kid. Didn't think it would be that easy. Seems a little too easy, if ya ask me. What if it doesn't work?" Frisk frowns, he does not appreciate this dose of reality but knows Sans does have a point. While he trusts Papyrus, Asgore is another matter entirely. Toriel's warning and Asgore's law leave him with complex feelings. What kind of fuzzy pushover could be a murderer and beloved by all monsters? The more he learns about Asgore, the less and more he wants to know.

"It has to work. Sorry, Sans, but failure ain't an option I'm going to take. And if it doesn't work, I'll just have to find another way to get back to the surface. Anything is possible if you believe in it and work hard enough."

"Well, Kid, I really hope your plan works. Just don't forget about us monsters." His words bring sadness to Frisk.

"Sans, I could never forget any of you. Listen, when I find her, she'll know how to take care of me and what to do about the Underground. When I tell her about what's going down here, I know she'd love to help all of you out."

"Ahh, so you're doing all of this for a girl. Now it all makes sense! Gotta say, didn't take ya for a pint-sized Casanova, kid. As a skeleton, we don't have lips. Maybe you could let me know how a kiss works when ya win her over. I'm rooting for ya. So, is she cute?" Frisk's cheeks turn crimson and buries his face in his hands, while a piece of himself is disgusted with the whole idea.

"It's not like that, Sans, stop it!" Frisk says and breaks into embarrassment while a piece of him laughs at him. _She's my mom for Pete's sake!_

"I'm just teasing ya, kid." Sans grabs his shoulder to reassure him. "I just don't want ya to be down if your plan doesn't pan out. People tend to go a little stir crazy when they can't have what they want. They try, try, and try again till it works… or it doesn't and they forget what or who brought them there."

Frisk does not want to consider this option, but knows Sans simply wants to help him. And if what Amy said proves to be true, then his journey is already doomed; but he can't let it go, not without trying. Frisk sighs heavily. "I just want to be happy."

"I know you do, kid. But sometimes, when life gives ya lemons, you can't always turn them to lemonade without breaking them. And you don't want to break any lemons, do ya?" Frisk muses over his words until silence becomes his answer.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, kid, you can always use lemons for squirt flowers!" Sans sprays Frisk with cool water from a concealed prank flower on his jacket, surprising him but making him laugh at the same time.

"Well, I hope you find your answer, kid; best of luck to ya." Sans slides off his stool. "Welp, that was a long break. I can't believe I let ya pull me away from my job for that long. Oh, by the way. I'm flat broke. Can you foot the bill? It's just 10000G." Frisk crashes out of contemplation in disbelief at the bill.

"Yeah, you know I'm good for it, Sans." Frisk says as he finishes his fries and rolls his eyes.

"Just kidding. Grillby, put it on my tab."

"Your tab is already taller than this damn mountain, Sans." Grillby reminds him.

"Then I guess that means I gotta get back to work so I can pay ya. Thanks, Grillby." Sans waves his hand goodbye. "Oh, Frisk, I gave your question some thought, and I guess there is a way a human could live in the underground without any monster knowing about them." Frisk gives Sans all of his attention.

"They would just have to use magic to turn themselves invisible." Sans says like such a feat is easy to achieve. "No one would be able to find a human like that. But you told me humans can't do magic anymore, so I guess that can't happen. Right?"

Frisk recalls his encounters with the strange human girl and her disappearance. _Does she know how to do magic? Even when we can't do it? It would explain some things, but not everything. Who are you, Amy?_

"I don't know, Sans. Two days ago, I didn't believe monsters existed. Who knows what else I'll find in the Underground by the end of tomorrow? Sounds like real handy powers to have."

"Why, are you worried, kid?" Sans asks and Frisk regains his confidence.

"Honestly, Sans? I think I can take on anything in the Underground now," Frisk declares with a smug smile.

"I really hope you're right, kid," Sans departs, allowing Frisk to finish his French fries. Distracted by the warm flames of Grillby's head, he turns to face him as he cleans the inside of a shot glass, drying it with his own body.

"Hey Grillby, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot, and I'll enlighten you as best as I can, boy."

"What do you know about Sans and Papyrus?"

"Those two. Known them since they were little bones, and got to see them grow up to be real good buddies. I know folks round here give Paps a bad rap, but they're the best." Frisk nods in agreement. "Although Sans does need to pay his tab, he won't get away from me forever."

"I was good buds with their father, WD Gaster. He came in here all the time. You couldn't find a cleaner and whiter chrome dome in the whole underground; but he had a mighty big brain inside that skull. He was the royal head scientist back in the day, never thought I would see a day he would have kids." Grillby says and Frisk imagines how living with a younger pair of Sans and Papyrus would be like.

"He brought them here every week for dinner, always ordered the same dishes: spaghetti with meat balls and hot dogs. Sans pulled pranks on Gaster and Paps when they weren't peeking, and Paps would invite random strangers to their table. And Gaster, well, he just loved those boys. Those were very good times!"

"Wow. Wish I could have been there. Who was their mom?" Frisk asks, bursting with curiosity.

"Actually, that was the strangest thing of them all. Gaster was the only Skeleton monster in the whole underground. No one knows how Gaster stumbled across his boys; most didn't ask, saw them happy together and didn't ask any questions. Gaster took those secrets with him when his time to fall down came." Grillby replies and Frisk finds himself with widened eyes full of fascination.

_Wow! That is something. What else can these monsters do?_ Frisk wanted to ask either Sans or Papyrus how they came to, but common sense tells him such an answer will no doubt be incredibly private and personal. Despite having his interests peaked, he pushes them to the side, along with the empty dish.

His soul becomes heavy with sorrow, learning about the skeleton brothers' missing mother, he curses himself for ever being afraid of them, doubting them, or ever considering fight them. The feeling is alleviated as he feels closer to them than ever before. "Well, I'm glad I got Paps and Sans looking out for me now. I'll do the same for them."

"Good to hear, boy, I wish ya the best of luck on your quest. Never thought I'd see the day I'd be serving a human. Always dreamed one day I would have me own shop up there on the surface, serving humans and monsters together. But glad to have you as me first human customer." His words are as warm as the fire Grillby is made out of.

"Thanks, Grillby. Maybe I'll come back here, if I get a chance." Frisk looks to the empty seats and stools aside him, filling them inside his imagination with Toriel, Maribel, Francis, Sans, Papyrus, and most dearest of all... His mother. With his words and meal finished, Frisk departs from the stool and exits out the door, but not without having his ears graced with many goodbyes and well wishes from the other residents of the bar and grill.

That feeling continues as he exits and returns to Snowdin Town's Main Street. Everywhere he goes, monsters recognize and identify him as human. And most greet him with welcoming warm words and glad gazes that make the cold of Snowdin nonexistent. A few remain nervous around him, but they do not oppose his stay or presence. The Invitations to remain are abundant and attractive, from the festive lights to the smells of baked sweets, and friendly faces everywhere he turns.

For the first time since falling Underground, Frisk doesn't really want to have to move on. _So... This is what home feels like,_ Frisk thought with a smile and tears in his eyes.

With a long, exhaustive sigh, Frisk departs from the Town and returns to the path; but not before looking back one last time at Snowdin. He does not know what to expect to find behind that stone door in the Ruins. The last thing he'd expected was that he wouldn't want to leave the frozen forest that was colder than any place he'd ever known.

But he looks ahead with a bold face and gaze, tempted with the rest of the Underground, hungry to know what awaits him, and ready to face it. All the while a piece of him becomes deathly curious to learn what other surprises lie ahead and what he will do next.


	21. Author's Notice

Greetings, it is me AlanSmithee001. I am sorry if you were expecting another chapter of Being Human, and I am doubly sorry to announce that we have reached the end of the first batch of pre-prepared chapters. Therefore, we are entering that dreaded state of every FanFiction update cycle, a temporary hiatus until further notice.

The reasons I was able to release so many chapters in such a short amount of time is because I was working on this story for over a year in advance. I had actually hoped to have completed more of the story, at least all of Ruins to Waterfall. However, like most people, my plans were thrown into chaos with COVID-19 and the many other stressful events of 2020.

But I would like to reflect on more positive things, and despite it all, I am still standing here and continuing forward into the future. And if you are reading this, I hope you can say the same as well. And if for whatever reason you cannot, I sincerely hope that things improve for you and that I, in my own limited and small way, was able to help you in some fashion.

Regardless of what comes next, rest assured that my Beta Reader and I are hard on work on the next batch of chapters. And I hope to have them ready for all of you to read as soon as possible. Until then, feel free to enjoy my story so far, I know novelizations of Undertale are a dime a dozen, but I sincerely hope you found something unique in my retelling of a game that touched so many people's lives. I put a lot of hard work into this story and I hope that it shows and that you all enjoy it.

Until than I want to give a special thank you to my Beta reader: Yours, the Author for all your help, feedback, and reviews.

NikkiCross for lending me their attention and time when I needed it during the writing process.

Akhaos, Finwee Lord of Long Winds, and Lukkas for leaving me multiple reviews, whether here or Fanfiction.net.

0404617, AngelMaster16, Darklightlynx, JacenSolo34, MercySlash, Tri-Edge, anonymous412, quocanh. , DragonNoob, Blazing Heroine, and Yasha2522 for either favoring and following my Story.

Thank you all, I hoped you enjoyed the story, and I hope you enjoy yourselves until the next update. And since it is the season for giving, here is a preview of what is to come when the hiatus is over.

* * *

 _I need a place to calm down... Just somewhere to hide out for a... bit?_ An odd sight brings Frisk to a halt, not for any strange reason but because of the lack of any strangeness. It leaves him with many questions, but for the moment, he does not care for the answers.

 _You know what? This whole place has been a non-stop parade of weird. I'll take some normal for a while._ Frisk approaches and stops before the sight: A door built into the wall, it is featureless and colorless in appearance, grey with an unremarkable look to it. When he grabs the knob, there is no texture or sensation to it, like air somehow turned solid.

"Maybe this isn't a good-!" Sounds of approaching footsteps emerge from behind and leave Frisk in a fright. Without a thought, Frisk yanks the door open to enter, and he backs away from the door, not wanting to give away his position.

"Please don't be Undyne. Please don't be Undyne. Please don't be... Undyne?" Frisk loses his train of concentration when he spies his surroundings.

Solid and blank walls, grey in their color and devoid of any features. No markings, no fixings, and no decorations; they are utterly pristine and sterile. The humidity and warmth of Waterfall is gone, replaced with a vacuum of still air and silence. Yet all of this could not compare to the most bizarre sight of them all, a lone figure standing in the dead center of the room.

"Hello sir. Sorry to bother you." His words fall on deaf ears, as the strange figure remains silent and stationary where he stands. Frisk cannot tell if they are man or monster with their back turned to him.

He wears a long black suit that stretches from neck to feet, leaving not a single inch exposed. He is tall and slender, as his pale white head almost collides with the ceiling. While he may not have been Undyne, he could hardly be called pleasant to look at, and he refuses to respond to Frisk's presence or words.


End file.
